Idon't believe in monsters
by experimentalgirl17
Summary: Not happy with the title, but what can you do? A story where Sam has her own webshow and has yet to meet Carly Shay, and when she does she finds her life and nightmares come true and maybe even love. Sam learns even she has a destiny to become more!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – I got inspiration for this story from several sources. One was an author on fanfic…and then the Anita Blake stories. Hope you enjoy**.

The girl sat at the computer surfing the internet for anything…anything interesting. She was bored, as she got so often over the past years. The girl was very beautiful with long thick black hair, a perfect alabaster toned skin, stood about five eleven, a nice figure that was thin but toned, and dark almost black eyes that were haunting; mysterious; and very sexy. She appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years of age. The girl frowned as her stomach growled and looked at the clock on the computer. It was a little after one in the morning and she had yet to eat since she woke. She sighed since she really did not want to go out but knew she had too and decided to surf a few more moments and then go grab a bite to eat. She searched a web show category and ran down the long list and then paused at one. IAm Sam it said. She decided to look at it to kill some time before she went to eat. The girl watched a few moments and even giggled at the antic of the very pretty blonde girl on the show. The girl looked about sixteen or seventeen, had very long curly blonde hair, seemed to stand only five five or maybe even an inch shorter, thin waist with a nice shapely figure. The brunette watched the show intrigued by the girl and her somewhat cruel but funny practical jokes on the doorman of her building. The camera zoomed in on the blonde as she announced it was time for her show to end and the brunette froze and paused the recorded video. She reached out with her hand and her perfectly manicured crimson painted nails caressed her computer monitor.

"Octavia." The girl whispered and then shook her head, "No…she is dead. She died a long time ago…but this girl looks just like her." The brunette stared for a while at the paused screen and then started the video again. The pretty blonde girl was saying good bye to her fans and winked and then the brunette flinched.

"No…I didn't just see that?" She said aloud and pressed rewind and smiled after she played the video again, "I did just see that…this girl has a gift…I wonder if she knows." The brunette once again spoke aloud to her self after she saw the sparkle in the blonde girl's eye right before she winked at the camera. Very few people would have seen that sparkle for what it was, but the brunette knew; she had seen it before a long time ago. The girl clicked on the homepage of the website for Iam Sam and read the biography if the web show host. She read the girl's name, Samantha (prefer Sam) Puckett, she was seventeen, live in Seattle Washington, was a junior at the Ridgeway High school, lived with her mom, and hobbies included skateboarding; eating; getting in trouble at school, pranks, and she hated school. There was other information about the girl like the movies she liked (the brunette giggled at that the blonde listed horror movies as her favorite), the type of music (here the brunette frowned; she did not care much for metal or punk but did like techno the blonde listed), and other details. The brunette giggled like a young pre teen as she shut down her computer.

"Oh, Samantha, preferred to be called Sam, Puckett…you should not list such personal information on the internet. There is no telling who may see it."

The brunette got up from the desk and decided it was time she went and got something to eat. She was very hungry and needed nourishment. She put on a pair of black boots that came just below her knees and had three inch heals. She made sure her black skinny jeans were tucked in the boots, put on a red and black plaid short vest over her white blouse, and grabbed a black duster off her coat rack. The duster came down to her ankles and did not wrap all the way around her but stopped short so it ended at her average sized breasts. The girl flipped her hair on the outside of the duster and then flipped up the wide collar. She debated wearing the duster since it was a warm night, but she could not feel the elements anymore so it would not be uncomfortable to her; plus she liked the coat and thought it was sexy. She put on crimson lipstick to match her nails and did not check herself in the mirror. She knew she looked hot and it was no use anyway.

The girl's heels of her boots clicked as she walked the streets late at night looking for something to eat. It was late, or early depending on how you looked at it, but she knew she would find something. New York City never closed. She walked quickly but with no fear; the girl knew she of all people had very little to fear and the things she did she would be able to sense before the danger got to close. She walked a few blocks and passed a number of twenty four hour restaurants but they did not appeal to her, she had a very particular appetite. She walked a few more steps and stopped suddenly and her face showed curiosity and then she smiled.

"Come out, Dante…I know you have been following me since I left the apartment." The girl said to the shadows and from an alley stepped a very tall very handsome well built man of about thirty. He had light ash brown hair that was long and in a pony tail. He smiled at the girl.

"Aww, Julia, how did you know it was me?" He asked the girl as his hazel eyes ran up and down the girl's figure.

Julia gave him a smirk, "Because I have known you for a long time…too long…and by the way, I dropped Julia a long time ago. I am now Carly…Carly Shay."

The man laughed, "Carly? What kind of name is that? It sounds like a name you would give a pet."

Carly stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, "It is short for Carlisle…and…I like it. Don't be a jerk and tease me."

The man chuckled, "Ok…Ok…but to me you will always be Julia…the lovely and beautiful Julia…the most beautiful girl in all of Rome."

Carly shrugged, "So poets claimed…but I think my father had something to do with that. So Dante…why are you stalking me?"

Dante grinned again, "You father was a great man and he doted on you."

Carly's dark eyes flashed in anger, "My father was never home! And what do you know of him? All you know of him is what you read and most of what was written of him was based on his own memoirs. The man had me married to a pig of a man over twice my age when I was fourteen and when I was seventeen my husband died…I just wish I could have been there when the sow had his head chopped off! Again…why are you stalking me?"

The man grinned and showed perfect white teeth, "Why, Julia, I was hungry to and have not eaten and wanted to know if I could join you for dinner. I waited outside your apartment a long time…you know it would be easier if you just invited me in."

Carly smiled another smirk, "You are no longer welcome in my apartment or my bed…I thought we established that a long time ago. We are not longer lovers, Dante. And I told you…it is Carly!"

Dante raised his hands, Ok…Carly it is…you don't have to get uptight about it. Now about dinner…we can discuss you inviting me to your bed again after we eat…you used to always be so excitable after we ate together."

Carly shook her head, "No…I do not like your choice of meals anymore…you know that. Plus your table manners are terrible and you never seem to get enough."

Dante smiled, "Awww…but I remember when we did share the same tastes and you also never seemed to get your fill…please for old time sakes."

Carly shook her head, "No…and leave me alone…I can make you. You know that."

Dante took a step back and glared at the brunette, "You wouldn't! You wouldn't do that to me!" He hissed but his voice sounded unsure.

Carly smiled, "Maybe…maybe not…don't test me. By the way…I am moving in a few days. I think Seattle Washington. So that would almost give you free reign here…almost…there are still a few left here stronger than you…and me. Of course they rarely get out anymore. They are too comfortable in their power."

Dante frowned as he steeped closer to Carly. "Seattle…oh why move there. It is so bleak and rains lot. Why would you want to leave a city like New York? It is a city made for people like us, Ju…Carly. A city that is just as active at three in the morning as three in the afternoon."

Carly shrugged, "I have my reasons. Now if you excuse me, I am hungry and must eat. Goodbye, Dante."

Dante bowed to the girl, "Goodbye, Julia, I shall miss you."

Carly smiled and let the name issue go this time, "And I shall miss you…to a degree." She turned and took a few steps and turned back to the man, "And, Dante, please be safe…you can be reckless at times and just because most of the older ones don't venture out much anymore…some still do and they don't like reckless."

Dante smiled, "I am the soul of caution, my dear Julia."

Carly turned and started walking again as she giggled as she shook her head, "How you are still around after all this time I will never know." She said aloud to herself.

Carly walked a few more blocks and the neighborhood started to grow worse and worse and soon she was where she wanted to be. She looked around and saw the men on the streets drinking their bottles of alcohol in brown paper bags and the women in short revealing outfits plying their trade. It was not long before she was approached by three men who were in desperate need of a bath.

"Where are you going, girlie." One of the men asked as Carly stopped.

"Just for a walk." She replied calmly.

The largest of the men smiled at her, "Well we will join you." He then pulled out a large knife from behind his back.

Carly eyed the knife and then the man, "No…please…I…I just want to go home…please." She pleaded with a look of fear on her face.

The men laughed, "No, girlie, no home for you tonight." The leader sneered and grabbed the girl and spun her around. He put the knife blade to her throat and pulled her right arm behind her back and pushed her into the long dark alley. Carly whimpered in fear as the man led her deeper into the alley with his partners closed behind. He stopped her when her face slammed into the brick wall at the end of the alley.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way…I like the hard way but it is up to you." He whispered in her ear and Carly could smell the liquor and cigarettes on his breath.

"I…I…will…ok…please don't hurt me…I'll do anything you want…just don't hurt me." She begged as the man reach down and slipped his hand into her jeans. Carly screamed but she knew it would not do any good. Screams of young girls were heard and ignored often in this city. "Please…I'll do it…I'll do all three of you…just don't hurt me." She pleaded and the man laughed and backed away.

"We have a game one here boys. Turn around, bitch, and show us what you got."

Carly slowly turned and the fear was gone from her face, "No…I don't think I will." She said calmly. The leader grunted and swung his right fist at her face only to be caught by Carly's hand before it could land. She twisted her hand and relished in the sound of the man's arm breaking and the scream of pain that came from his mouth. The man fell to his knees as his two partners took a step to Carly. The girl looked at them and the pupils of her eyes were no longer black but glowed blood red. She bared her teeth with a hiss and her two canine teeth grew an inch in the blink of an eye.

"No, boys…he is mine. Run along now!" She hissed loudly and her voice was no longer that of a seventeen year old girl, but deep and evil sounding. The two men turned and ran and left their friend to the fate of this beautiful monster. Carly grinned at the man on his knees and pulled him up with one hand and little effort. The man looked into her eyes.

"What…what are you?" He gasped in fear and pain.

Carly smiled, "To most people I am a sweet charming seventeen year old girl." Her voice sounded so innocent and musical then it changed back into the deep voice of a monster, "But to you…I am death!" She hissed and opened her mouth wide. The man screamed as the girl's fangs bit into his neck and after a few seconds he went silent and sank into the girl's arms.

Carly sucked and her taste buds tingled at the taste of the thick red liquid and her body shivered with pleasure in the nourishment of the blood. She drained her victim dry of his blood and when she was done feeding she let his body fall to the ground. Carly wiped her mouth and chin and grimaced as she smacked her lips and licked the blood from her hand. "Cheap whiskey…God I hate cheap whiskey. Whatever happened to the men who got drunk off at least a decent red wine…or absinthe? I miss absinthe. Still almost as good as sex…almost."

Carly had long ago stopped feeding on the blood of innocents. Now she only fed on those she felt deserved to die. The murders, the rapist, the child molesters were her only victims now. When she did have to feed on an innocent it would be only for pure survival and she never drained her victim and made them forget they met her.

She kicked the corpse at her feet and walked calmly from the alley and back to her apartment. She knew she could have ran home and used her unnatural speed and be back at her apartment in seconds but she wanted to think about the girl she saw in the internet. "Sam Puckett," Carly whispered, "So much in looks like my Octavia…so lovely…and then there is the other thing…we will meet soon Sam…very soon." Carly giggled and decided tomorrow night she would move to Seattle and meet this beautiful blonde who intrigued her so much.

**A/N – a special prize…ok not really a prize just a good job…if anyone can tell me who Carly Shay was in her past?**


	2. Chapter 2

Samantha, prefers to be called Sam, Puckett woke up from her dream…or nightmare since she really did not know which…and sat up in her bed. She cursed and looked at the clock on the night stand. It was a little after one in the morning and she knew she could not go back to sleep, she never could after this dream which she had twice sometimes three times a week ever since she turned sixteen. Sam could not remember the details of the dream except that she was laying on something…something cold and hard…and naked. She did remember seeing faces, well not faces but hooded figures, around her and then the drink and the knife. One of the hooded figures brought a gold cup to her lips and forced her to drink from it. The taste was salty and the liquid thick. Sam knew it was blood. She also remembered the knife very well. It was not a metal blade but one made of some type of well carved stone. Then just as one of the hooded figures was about to stab her naked breasts with the knife she would wake up. Sam got out of the bed and then something made her pause as she went to the bathroom. Tonight was different. The dream tonight when she was on the stone and the knife came to her breast she was pulled away and she felt like she was flying. She remembered looking up at the person…or thing…that pulled her away and looked into the most beautiful dark eyes she ever saw and then the face of a beautiful girl with long black hair. Or at least she thought the girl was beautiful…she really could not remember well. Just as the girl smiled at her Sam felt her self falling and the girl screamed her name and yelled something like "I am sorry…I cannot save you…I am not strong enough!" and then Sam woke up.

"I need to stop watching those fucking horror movies and stop my late night snacks!" Sam cursed as she made her way to the bathroom.

Sam was seventeen and had been told she was a very pretty girl and would even be prettier if she acted and dressed like a girl, but Sam did not care what others thought of her, she never did. She was pretty with long blonde curly hair she hated to get cut, hazel blue eyes, and a nice figure she was secretly proud of and enjoyed when boys would stare out her as she walked the halls at school. She did wish she was taller but no one was perfect. Sam was a tomboy and loved skateboarding and other things boys do like being crude sometimes and eating. She loved to eat. She also liked trouble. Sam was the school bully at one time but when she entered her junior year of high school she toned down her bullying antics since she found them to be boring now but she did love to pull pranks and if someone got a little hurt then to bad. She was on a first name basis with her school principle and even had her own assigned seat in detention and she loved it. Sam loved to be thrilled and when her adrenaline pumped and her heart pounded with the fear of getting caught she was at her best. Better than sex, she would say, but she would not really know that. Sam was still a virgin.

She had a few dates from boys brave enough to ask her out and kissed most of them. Deep passionate kisses and they turned her on, but when it was going to go further she would stop. Sex was the only thing Sam feared and it drove her crazy sometimes. She did not like to be afraid. She never let anyone get close to her emotionally and the only person who she let into her small circle of feelings was the tech producer Freddie Benson. Sam liked Freddie but would never let him know it. He was really her only true friend. She had pals at school she hung out with but they were just that…school friends not true friends. She was popular at school not just because of her looks but because of her web show her and Freddie started two years ago as a joke but it escalated and kids loved it. She now had a large fan base.

Sam lived with her mother who was not home much since she worked two and sometimes three jobs just to put food on the table. Sam loved her mother and respected her but had to admit she was not the best mom in the world. She sometimes got jealous of the other kids and their parents. Sam's mom was good to her but she always gave Sam odd looks recently and Sam could remember when she was little her mom would hold her and stoke her hair and tell her she was just like her father and then cry and the woman would make Sam promise not to be like her father. Sam never understood this but made the promise anyway.

Sam's father left her when she was two and when she used to ask her mom about him the woman would just tell her he loved his little girl but had to leave and Sam never heard from him. She hated her father for leaving her and her mother and thought if he loved her so much why did he leave. She used to blame her mom for her dad leaving and accuse her mom of not being a good wife and the woman would tell Sam she did not drive the man away it was just fate. As Sam got older she stopped blaming her mom as she started to notice all that the woman tried to do for her.

Sam flushed the toilet and decided to surf the internet since she knew she could not sleep. Her mom was working the late shift at the dinner and would not be home until Sam left for school anyway so she could do almost anything she wanted. Sam could not find anything interesting on the internet and checked her website to see how many viewers the show had and how many hits the site got since yesterday. She smiled at the number and then cursed as her computer locked up. She tried everything she knew and even cursed more at the computer but it would not do anything. She turned it off and would let Freddie look at it after school. Her stomach growled and she went into the kitchen and made a ham sandwich…she loved ham…and ate while watching television. After an hour she drifted off to sleep again and did not dream of the cup of blood or the knife but she did dream of the dark haired beautiful girl. It was a nice dream. She woke the next morning and wished she could have remembered the second dream more and the looks of the brunette girl. When she woke the girl she dreamed of was all fuzzy. Sam shrugged and went to take a shower.

Sam was kneeling on the ground putting her books in her locker and trying to decide on what classes to ditch today when she saw red sneakers on the ground next to her.

"What's up, Freddio?" She asked without looking up. Only Freddie wore nerdy red sneakers.

"Morning, Sam…Kelly and I are going to that new teen club tonight…since its Friday my mom lets me stay out till midnight…and we wanted to know if you want to come." Sam did look up now and saw Freddie and his girlfriend Kelly.

Sam stood and shrugged, "I don't know. Those clubs really aren't my type of a good time. I do need you to come look at my computer though…it fried on me last night…well early this morning."

Freddie smiled, "Sure…but how about this…I fix your computer and then we go to the club."

"I don't know…maybe."

"Come on, Sam, you may like it…and maybe we can find you a boyfriend there." Kelly piped in as she clung onto Freddie's arm. Sam did not like Kelly to much. Sure she was cute and sweet and nice…maybe that was why Sam did not like her. She was nice. Sam also did not like Kelly because the girl was too good. Did all kind of charity work and things and always so damn cheerful. I bet she is still a virgin…well so am I so I can't hold that against her, Sam thought and gave Kelly a fake smile. She acted nice to the other girl because Freddie liked her, of course she would never let Freddie know that was why she acted nice.

"Well…ok…after you fix my computer. Meet me at my house around six. No if you would excuse me…I need a nap…did not sleep well last night…so see you at lunch." Sam turned and walked down the hall. She walked a few steps when someone touched her arm and she turned ready to throw a punch and then relaxed when she saw it was Freddie.

"Did you have another nightmare last night?" The boy asked. Sam had told him about the dreams. She had to tell someone and when she tried to tell her mom the woman freaked out for a moment and changed the subject quickly and ignored Sam when she tried to tell her so she told Freddie. Plus she liked talking to Freddie. He was a good listener as long as she threw the occasional insult in it was nice to talk to him.

"Yeah…but they are not nightmares really…I mean…I am not scared in the dream. It…it is like I was excited for the knife…I know weird. Oh…this one was different. There was this girl in it. Well…I did watch those horror movies last night. That may have been it."

Freddie nodded, "Just as long as you are ok."

Sam smiled and then quickly straightened her face, "Why should you care anyway…don't get any ideas, dork, you are not in my dreams."

Freddie smiled, "Ok, Sam…see ya."

"Bye, dumb fuck." Sam said and walked to her favorite napping place at school.

Later that evening Sam was sitting at a table at the teen club alone and very bored. She looked at her watch as Freddie danced with Kelly and wished she would have drove her own car, of course her car would most likely have broken down before she even got to the club or not started at all. She had changed from her simple khaki cargo pants and tee shirt she wore to school to a jean skirt that came about two inches above her knees and a plain red blouse. She was a little hurt and a lot pissed no one had asked her to dance. She was a loner but at times she wished she would find a boy who she liked enough to date fore more than a week or two; Sam envied happy couples sometimes like Freddie and Kelly. They had been dating almost a year and while she did not care too much for Kelly the girl did help Freddie become less of a dork. Sam was going to ask Freddie to take her home when he stopped dancing or maybe take the bus home. It was only eight thirty but she was not having a good time. She was thinking how the pop rock music sucked and wished they would play some metal or techno or even some older punk when she jumped in her seat as a hand touched her shoulder.

"Hello, mind if I sit down. There is no place to sit and you are alone." A girl's voice said. Sam liked the voice. It sounded musical and pure, but she did not like being startled. She turned her head to tell the girl, whoever she was, to fuck off and when she looked up her she froze with her mouth half open.

The girl was obviously beautiful in her simple black sleeveless dress that showed her perfect alabaster skin. Her lips were natural crimson red and her thick hair was black as midnight and came just below the shoulders and she wore it parted on the left side, but what caught Sam's attention the most was the girl's eyes. So dark and almost black like her hair and very haunting and mysterious and…sexy; that is how Sam would describe them. She instantly made Sam wish she had dressed up more and maybe put on some makeup…a thought Sam did not like. She hated to feel inferior to anyone whether a male or female. The girl smiled at same and flashed perfect white teeth and suddenly Sam had a feeling she had seen the girl before but could not place it.

"Do…do I know you?" She asked the girl. The girl shook her head.

"No…do you want to…know me that is? If you do…please let me sit down. My feet are killing me in these heels."

Sam chuckled and nodded to the empty seat across from her. "My name is Carly. Carly Shay." The girl said after she sat down and stuck out her hand.

"Sam Puckett. Nice to meet you Carly." Sam said and took the girls hand in hers and instantly flinched and let go. The hand was cold…very cold like the girl had been outside in a Seattle winter without gloves but there was something else. Something flashed in Sam's mind…a feeling that she knew the girl. The there was the feeling of a sudden rush of adrenaline as she touched the hand…excitement like she felt when she was breaking the rules…or kissing a boy. Sam shook her head.

"Sorry, your hands are cold."

The girl smiled, "Yes…thin blood I guess. Gets better after I eat and my skin warms up."

The girl spoke perfect English without any accent at all and Sam thought that was strange for some reason, "So where are you from…I mean I haven't seen you at our school…do you go to Eastside?"

"No…I am from New York…the city. I just moved here and I am umm…home schooled."

Sam smiled, "Must be nice…I mean to have either your mom or dad home all the time to teach you."

Carly laughed and Sam thought she had never heard such a wonderful sound before, "Well…my dad was…I mean is never home…always at work. He is very ambitious…and my mom does stay home but she is too busy with the house hold things so I have a tutor."

_Yeah a real rich bitch here_, Sam thought. "Well…must be nice. My mom works all the time and my dad is not around. He split when I was two." _Now why the fuck did I tell her that?_ _Its those damn eyes…I can't focus because of those damn eyes!_ Sam shook her head to clear the spider webs from it. Staring into the girl's eyes made her feel like she was in a daze.

"So Sam…I have seen you before. You have a web show. I like it. It is very funny at times." The girl said in her perfect voice and Sam looked up at her and the adverted her gaze quickly. _Not this time rich bitch! I don't know why but your eyes make me feel like I will confess my every sin to you…and there is not enough time in the night for that_. Sam thought and stared at Freddie dancing with Kelly.

"Yeah and thanks…so what brought you to Seattle? Your dad's job or something."

"Umm…yes his job. Is that your boyfriend…dancing with that girl? You are so much prettier than her."

Sam laughed, "Hell no…he is a friend and nothing more…and thanks"

Carly smiled and Sam stared at her mouth to avoid those eyes and thought the girl even had a perfect smile. Sam admitted to herself she thought she never saw a girl that perfect before without having her photograph touched up for some fashion magazine. This girl had perfect skin, even if it was a little pale, perfect teeth, perfect hair, and those damn perfect eyes.

Sam made small talk with the girl when she asked her what there was to do for teenagers in the city and other simple questions when Freddie and Kelly walked back to the table. Sam glanced at her watch and saw it was after eleven and was amazed time went by that fast talking to Carly.

"Hello, my name is Kelly and this is Freddie. He is my boyfriend." Kelly said as she held her hand out to Carly in an introduction. Sam chuckled at the way Kelly announced Freddie was her boyfriend; like a animal marking her territory.

"Carly Shay…nice to meet you." The vampire girl said without even looking up or extending her hand. Her eyes never left Sam. Carly had been around to long to suffer fools and while the girl was cute and seemed polite Carly saw her as a insecure girl who thought any other girl prettier than her was out to steal what was hers. Carly had seen her type to many times over the years; nice, sweet, kind, cheerful, and always in a good mood who thought of nothing but the good in the world and evil did not exist. The type of teenage girl Carly did not like. Carly knew of evil; she had seen it first hand and just half of what she had seen would drive this stupid cheerful girl mad.

_Look at me Sam…look into my eyes, _Carly focused her thoughts at Sam and as expected the pretty blonde girl turned her gaze back into Carly's haunting eyes. Then Carly got a shock, something that did not happen often to someone who had been around as long as she had.

Sam stared at Carly, _Get the fuck out of my mind!_ Sam's thoughts blasted Carly's mind and it felt as if she ran into a brick wall. The vampire leaned back in her chair and started rubbing her temples as a sharp pain coarse through her head. She blinked several times and got up without looking at Sam.

"Excuse me…I have a headache." Carly announced and walked away from the table to the door.

"Damn…she sure is strange. How do you know her, Sam?" Freddie asked.

"I think she is scary." Kelly added as she sat down.

"Sam…Sam…yo…Sam." Freddie said as he snapped his fingers in front of Sam's face.

Sam was staring at Carly as the brunette girl walked to the door of the club, "What! Oh…sorry…what was that?" She turned to Freddie.

"I asked how do you know her?"

Sam looked back at Carly and saw she was just about to leave the club, "I don't…just met her…hey be back in a minute." Sam said as she got up and walked quickly after the strange girl she just met.

Carly walked to the entrance of the club as the pain in her head started to go away. _How did she do that? How did she know I was vamping her? Hell, it takes others older than me to resist my gaze. That is my specialty. True I was not trying and with more focus I could have made her putty in my hands…but she is a mortal and not supposed to be able to resist the slightest entrance into her mind…who the fuck is she?_ Carly thought as she walked to the door. She had been following Sam since she the sun went down and decided to meet the girl that intrigued her so much. When she got a closer look at Sam in person, Carly thought she did resemble her beloved Octavia very much but she now could tell the differences. Then there was the other thing she suspected she saw from the girl and after she kicked Carly from her mind the vampire knew her suspicions were right. Carly normally did not like "vamping" mortals unless it was to feed, but she wanted to know more about Sam. She wanted to know about her family and if the girl did have the gift. _Well she damn sure does…but from who? Her father or mother? Even if she did not kick me from her mind I could smell it in her blood. She is not trained and has yet to be given the full power…that I can tell or she would have known me for what I am…but she has it and it is strong. But she does not know. This is going to be fun and interesting. Carly Shay, I think you life just got exciting once again. And…she is pretty and when she took my hand I felt that thrill I have not felt in years…to many years. I am going to enjoy this and her blood…it smelled wonderful…I hope it tastes just as good_. Carly thought as she walked out of the club and to her car parked in a deserted alley when suddenly she felt her arm grabbed and spun around. She almost let her fangs come out and was glad she didn't when she saw Sam standing there with her arms crossed.

"That was rude you know…to just get up and leave like that." The blonde said with a smile on her lips.

Carly smiled at the girl in return. She smiled because apparently Sam did not even know what she did in the club. Carly was relieved. She did not want to reveal herself just yet.

"Why, Sam, do you make it a habit of chasing after girl's you just met?" Carly said in a flirtatious voice.

Sam blushed, "Umm…no…I…oh fuck it…sorry to bother you." She turned to leave.

"Sam…wait…would you like my cell number." Carly asked and Sam grinned and nodded.

"Yeah…I mean you are new in town and I guess you need someone to show you around."

Carly smiled, "Yes I do." She wrote down her number and gave it to Sam. "Only call in the evenings…my mom and dad are real strict with my school work and make me turn it off during the day." Carly ran her fingers through Sam thick blonde hair and her supernatural hearing picked up the small moan of pleasure a mortal would have missed. "Of course if you can't stand not to call me during the day, just leave a voice mail." Carly teased and Sam blushed. Carly was tempted to vamp Sam again using more of her power to test the girl, but that would not have been fair. She wanted to seduce the blonde the mortal way…it made things more exciting.

"Where are you going now?" Sam asked

Carly smiled, "To get a bite to eat. I would invite you but…well…I prefer to eat alone until I get to know you better. Night, Sam…call me…I mean it…call me."

Carly got into her car and drove away as Sam watched her go. When Carly was out of sight Sam looked at the number and smiled as she programmed it into her cell phone. She had not idea why she wanted to be friends with the strange new girl and why she felt attracted to her as well. Sam was not embarrassed to be attracted to another girl since she never felt there was nothing wrong with that. It was just no other girl made her feel that way before.


	3. Chapter 3

Carly Shay was walking the central water front area around two in the morning hoping to find something to eat…well someone. She asked around and everyone told her the water front area was the worst area to go at night. It was full of drug dealers, hookers, rapists, home of one of the street gangs that inhabited the city, and other dregs of society. Carly thought it was a perfect place to eat. She walked with confidence in her black jeans, black tee shirt with a band logo glittered across the front, her black boots clicking on the pavement, and of course her duster. Why shouldn't she have confidence? She was a vampire and an old one at that and there was nothing she feared in this city. Carly did not know who ran the covenant for this city and really did not care. A vampire unwritten rule was for her to let the head of the local covenant in a city this large know she was in town. It was just the polite thing to do and also the safe thing to do. A rogue vampire could be a dangerous thing and upset the balance of the supernatural and would be hunted by their own kind. There was also more in the cities besides vampires for mortals…and even some vampires…to fear. By announcing herself she would be invited to stay, as long as she did not cause trouble, and if she did run into some of the other things in the city that hated her kind she would expect help from the locals. Now if she was new to New York, Boston, Atlanta, or some of the countries older cities she would be a fool not to make her presence known; those cities were home to vampires a lot older than her. But here in Seattle she would not have a reason to fear. The city was to newand Carly knew whoever ran this cities vampire community would not be as old as she was so she was not afraid._ That was it_, she thought as she sniffed the air, _no wonder I don't like this city…it is to damn new! _Carly did not like the new cities too much. She preferred the older ones and the older the better. Her favorites were London, Paris, Tokyo, Berlin, Dublin, and of course Rome. Carly frowned when she thought of her city where she was born. It made her sad. She had not been to Rome in ages and knew she would never be allowed back and that made her sad and angrier.

_Angry? I am damn pissed!_ Carly thought as she walked the street and saw a group of young men eying her. _Don't fuck with me right now,_ she thought as they looked at her_, I am in no mood and while you are not good little boys you don't deserve death tonight! _Carly was angry for a number of reasons and it all stemmed from Sam. It had been three days since she gave the pretty blonde her phone number and she had yet to call. Carly was not used to waiting when she wanted something…not even when she was a mortal, just being the daughter of her father made sure of that…and she wanted Sam for a number of reasons. First was she wanted to know more about the girl and her power, a power Carly knew of and heard rumor of but had yet to see it first hand. A power that began a long time before _she_ was even born; a power from the old ways before the coming of the one God and his Son. Carly also wanted Sam sexually and she had not had that desire in a very long time and it pissed her off that a girl the poets and bards once claimed to be the most beautiful girl in all of Rome could not get a simple mortal to call her without using her unnatural ability to control the girl. That hurt her feelings and Carly was not used to getting her feelings hurt. She grinned at that thought. Most mortals who believed in her kind really misunderstood vampires.

Carly knew she could feel pain, both physical and emotional, she could feel lust and not just through feeding like a lot of this stupid fantasy writers claimed, she could feel passion and even love. Carly knew vampires could get sexually excited as any mortal and their bodies would react to that arousal just like a mortals…_except the fangs_, she thought, _they could be a pain at times_. Carly knew vampires could cry when hurt and even feel jealousy and envy of others. She had read a number of books and novels about her kind over the years and thought the majority were stupid. She tried to feed on an animal once when she was younger and starving and it made her violently ill and did not nourish her. She could eat and drink mortal food and drink without getting sick, but she might was well eat air since the food had not taste to her and did not give her the needed nourishment to survive. No her kind needed blood, human blood to live. Carly had laughed at the novels that were written about "good" vampires. There was no such thing as a good vampire. How can you kill someone and drain their body of that precious liquid and be good. No, Carly knew, her kind was evil. True there were some more evil or chaotic than others, but deep down they were all evil…even her.

Carly had no delusions about herself, true she did not feed on the so called innocent, but she had in the past and she relished in it at one time. She fed on men, women, and children when she was younger and even as she got older and she had fed on them just to taste that wonderful elixir that gave her life regardless if she needed it or not. That was with the majority of her kind unless they were very old. The very old ones did not need to feed but about once or twice a month and they rarely left their lairs. Now Carly only fed when she had to and only on those her vigilante justice felt needed killing as she had for the past two hundred years. She did not change her feeding habits out of any since of nobility or kindness, but out of boredom. At one time Carly enjoyed the hunt very much but now she saw feeding as a way to survive instead of fun like the old days. No she knew she nor any of her kind are good or noble but the ones like her who did not kill and feed for sport were just more connected to their mortal past regardless of their age. Carly knew she was capable of doing horrible evil acts and had done them in the past with no regrets. Yes she could love and love a mortal, but that does not make one good. Most of the mortal people who commit evil had loved before as well. Love was neither good nor evil it just was. She had seen terrible and cruel things done in the name of love and also wonderful inspirational acts for love.

One thing the books did seem to almost get right for the most part and seemed to agree on was the things that can and would kill or hurt a vampire. The cross for example was something they could not stand when held by a person who had faith or believed. It was not always the case. At one time the cross was nothing but a shape to ones like her, but the coming of the one true God's Son had changed that. Not only did He either drive away from existence the other gods, He also made a few of the stronger or more cleaver ones disguise themselves or join him to serve him as his angels. Some even rebelled against him and became the demons of today. It was not the Son's birth that gave the cross the power over her kind, but his death. When He was crucified He descended into hell to gather his believers there and damn the non believers and with that damnation he made his cross a symbol for vampires to fear and hate when placed in the hands of one who will trust its power and have faith in its power. Carly laughed out loud at a book she read once that was very popular with the young people about vampires that can go out in the sun and all that happens is they sparkle; Carly wished she could enjoy the sun again but her and all like her would burn an agonizing death. There were other myths and truths in those stories like silver hurting and even able to kill a vampire and that was true. Of course the silver would have to reach her heart but it would still burn her skin painfully if she touched it. A wooden stake in the heart was a sure fire way to kill her but also anything in her heart as long as it was left there but once removed she would heal with a good meal of human blood. Holy water would burn her as well and don't even mention what would happen if she drank some…not a pretty sight. There were other myths and facts she could think of but her mind switched gears as she saw her prey for that evening and her hunger took over. Tonight she would play no game but feed brutally as she always did when she was angry.

Carly walked up to the car and tapped on the window. The man in the drivers sit rolled down his window.

"Get the fuck out of her, girl. I am busy." The man said. Carly looked past him at the little girl in the passenger side and she could sense the child's fear of the man.

"How old are you, dear?" She asked the girl and stared into the girl's eyes.

"Eight." The girl said to this beautiful and very nice teenage girl. She felt like this lovely brunette girl would protect her from her uncle and the terrible things he made her do. Carly delved into the child's mind. She was not a mind reader, they were very rare, but she could flash on images of the girl's memories as most of the stronger of her kind could. It was like watching a slide show where the slides flashed into her vision going a hundred miles an hour. Carly felt pity for the young girl, yes vampires can feel pity as well as other emotions, as she blinked the images away. To the mortals in the car it was only two or three seconds but for Carly it seemed longer before the images faded.

"Get out of the car child, and stand away but do not leave." Carly commanded and the girl smiled as she nodded her head and obeyed.

"Wait just one minute. That is my niece." The man turned to the girl, "Get you ass back in this car, Allison, or you will get punished!" The man yelled at the girl and under any other circumstance the girl would have whimpered and cried out and do what her uncle told her, but this was not a normal circumstance. The girl was controlled by a vampire of considerable skill and focused on the happy thoughts Carly put into her head and ignored her uncle.

Carly grabbed the man's arm to prevent him from moving to get the girl and he yelled in pain as her fingers separated muscle tissue and crushed bone. He looked up at Carly as he yelled in pain and the his yell became a scream of pure terror as he saw the blood red pupils and long fangs of the beautiful monster. He did not scream long as Carly ripped at his throat with her teeth and drained the man of his blood. When she was done she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and then licked her hand clean. She prided herself on not being a messy feeder and was careful not to let the thick life giving liquid splatter or her lose a drop. Of all the people she fed on she thought this type was the worse. She hated the sick adults who preyed on little children the worse.

When done she walked over to the girl who was still smiling as if she was watching her favorite television show, "Do you know how to get home, child?"

The girl nodded, "Yes, m'am. I don't live far. It is actually not far to walk."

"Where are you parents?"

"My mom is at work and my dad is in the army. He is not home now. He has been gone for a while with the army."

"Does you uncle watch you when your mom is at work?"

The girl nodded again, "Sometimes he does…when he asks my mom if he can. Normally I stay at my friend Cathy's house. I was there tonight when my uncle came and got me and told Cathy's mom that my mommy was home from work and she wanted him to come and get me. But he was lying. Mommy is still at work."

Carly took the girl's hand gently, "Show me where Cathy lives, child, and I will take you there. There is not need to fear. No one will harm you while you are with me."

Carly walked the girl to her friend's house and had to vamp the girl, Cathy, and Cathy's mom to forget the girl ever left with her uncle and to forget ever seeing her. Carly wished she could erase the girl's memories of what her uncle did to her but that would take someone more powerful than her to do. Instead she told the girl to tell her mother what the man did to her and hoped the mother was a good enough person to believe and help the girl.

When Carly got home she took of her clothes, took a shower (yes vampires do shower when they want to) and then went to her bed. Another myth was that vampires slept in coffins. Carly knew a few that were morbid enough to do so, but she much preferred her soft king size bed. Of course her windows were tinted to a pitch black to prevent the sun from creeping in and she did not need a protector or a familiar as some vampires kept while they slept since she had no known enemies here. The only ones she could think of that wanted to do her harm were far away from Seattle. Carly pulled the covers over her head and snuggled in for a day's rest and once again thought of Sam. Her first thought was of kissing the girl and tasting her blood that had smelled so wonderful and she felt herself getting aroused. Her second thought was of how the girl had not called her and that made her angry again. She pouted like a spoiled child at the audacity of that simple mortal girl for a while and then drifted off to her dead sleep.

**A/N – I kind of hope you like this chapter. I wrote this chapter to give some insight of vampires in my world.**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N – Thank you to those who like this story. I like this chapter a lot…especially Carly's encounter in the woods…it is cute

Sam woke up Friday morning from the couch in her living room. She had another restless night from her dreams which woke her a little after three in the morning and after an hour or two of playing around on the internet and eating a snack she crashed on the couch. The dreams were the same as they had been with the exception of the girl pulling her off the alter, dropping her, and screaming she was sorry that she could not save her and then she would wake up. The other difference now was that the girl had a face that Sam remembered and that face was of the strange girl she just met, Carly Shay. When Sam thought of the dream and focused to remember details of it, which she did not do often because she did not like anything she could not understand, all she could remember was that she was not afraid. She was not afraid to drink the cup of blood or of the knife about to cut into her breast. I was actually the opposite of fear; Sam desired the blood and the cut of the knife and when the girl pulled her away she screamed out not in relief of being rescued but in anger at being pulled from the alter. And now the face of the girl puzzled her. Sam did not know if it was always Carly in her dream or her mind just put Carly's face in her dreams because of how she felt toward the girl. Sam hated how she felt to the girl she just met. Sam was very physically attracted to her and it drove her crazy.

Sam was not opposed to anyone being a homosexual and some of her skater pals were gay and it never bothered her, but she never thought she could be gay or attracted to a girl and that bothered her a great deal. She did not want to be gay or in truth sexually attracted to anyone of any gender. Sure she had met and been out with boys and even kissed them a lot, but she was not really attracted to them. She thought they were cute and some very good looking, Sam could appreciate beauty like everyone else, but they never gave her the butterflies in her stomach feeling or the feeling of arousal between her legs like this girl did. Sam always thought something may have been wrong with her since she did not have that desire like other girls and boys she knew. She would listen to them talk and make comments about sex but things they described never happened to her until four days ago when she met Carly. She just assumed she was not interested in sex or love just yet and would grow into it as she got older. Freddie, the only person she ever confessed her feelings or lack of, teased her and told her she was asexual…of course he stopped when she threatened to cut off his testicles and make him asexual. Besides the one teasing comment Freddie was very comforting to her and told her she was not odd and that she just had not met that special person yet. Sam hated to admit it but she really did like Freddie as a friend and she would never tell the boy but if he ever needed anything she would be there for him. But Sam doubted Freddie's words because no one made her feel sexual. She tried everything at one time from looking at male models in magazines, looking at naked men and women, and even porn but nothing happened. She even tried masturbation once and while rubbing her clit felt good it did not do much to her so she stopped and never did it again. Her asexual behavior also affected how she saw herself. She knew she was pretty and other people told her she was pretty but she did not feel sexy or thought others were not sexually attracted to her. She blamed her tomboy behavior on that and that was why she chose to wear the clothes she does. She figured why try and be sexy if you don't feel it. Sam just thought she was a freak that way and buried the problem and hoped it would go away one day. And to her horror it did go away four days ago.

The first night she met Carly and the girl touched her, Sam felt something stir in her for the first time in her life. Desire for another person and it was not just the odd but pleasant sensation she got between her legs but her heart felt as if it skipped a beat when she took Carly's oddly cold hand. Was this lust? She would ask herself and then curse because she could not be feeling this and did not want to feel this especially from another girl. And then she felt like an idiot after she actually chased after the girl at the club. Sam did not like chasing after anyone. Over the next days she could not get the girl from her mind; she thought about Carly and her beautiful face and lovely pale perfect skin, her sexy body, and those damn eyes that Sam had a hard time not staring at that night in the club. Sam was horrified at herself when in math class her thoughts drifted to Carly and for the first time since puberty she felt herself get wet between her legs. Sam was not an idiot or naïve and knew what had happened and it scared her that a girl or anybody would have that effect on her. Sex scared Sam a great deal.

She thought of that and hated that too. Why was she scared of sex? She was never molested or raped or had any type of sexual encounter. She was told it felt good and even some girls told her it was one of the most wonderful thing they had ever felt. Her mother even told her it felt good when she told a mortified Sam about the facts of life when she was younger. But it still scared her and she was glad she did not feel sexy and did her best to cover up her female curves by wearing boy's shirts a size to big and boy's shorts or pants. She did not want to feel sexy or sexual or aroused and now that she did she was scared and that was why she did not call the girl Carly. She was scared of her feelings and she hated being scared. Sam did all she could to drive these feeling from her by working out at the gym for hours or going to her kick boxing/taekwondo/sword classes every night and took two classes a night instead of the normal twice a week as she did since she was twelve. One night in sword class she was so frustrated that she had these desires for Carly she almost took her instructor's arm off. He got out of the way just in time to dodge the blow. She did anything to wear her body down and exhaust herself so she would be too tired to have these feelings, but it did not work. Once she was showered and lay in her bed they came back and she struggled to sleep and when she did the girl haunted her familiar dream. One night Sam even felt her hand slid down her stomach and between her legs as she thought of Carly and she had to force herself to stop before she touched herself. That was the night she decided to take Freddie up on his offer to double date with him, Kelly, and Thomas.

Thomas was a very cute boy and oddly a friend of Freddie's. It was odd because Thomas was a bad boy and a tough guy who got into fights, lost very few, and rumor was he spent a year in jurvie. Sam only talked to him a couple of times but had seen him at her hang out spots and heard through word of mouth he wanted to date her. She agreed only with the hopes Thomas could get her mind off of the mysterious Carly.

Freddie drove while Kelly sat in the passenger seat changing the music while Sam was in the back seat with Thomas. Thomas was sitting very close to her. They had just left the pizza parlor and were trying to decide what to do next.

"Why don't we go to the movies?" Kelly asked as she looked at Freddie and then turned her head to the back to get the other couples opinion of her idea.

"Naw…I don' feel like a movie tonight." Thomas said as his hand found Sam's upper thigh.

"Me either," Sam said as she removed the boy's hand, "What about a club or maybe someone is having a party." Sam said. She wanted to go to where there were a lot of people. Thomas was pawing her all night and she was getting tired of it.

"Why not drive down to the water front…you know, Freddie, the point." Thomas suggested. The point was where teenagers went to make out and even have sex.

Kelly grinned and looked at Freddie and ran her hand through his hair as he drove, "That sounds like fun, Freddie." She leaned in and whispered in his ear, "We have not had sex in a over a week and I am off my period." Freddie grinned.

Kelly did not whisper softly enough and both Sam and Thomas heard her. Thomas looked at Sam and grinned.

"If you think I am going to wait outside the car while you two fuck you are crazy!" Sam exclaimed. Both Freddie and Kelly blushed. Sam turned to Thomas, "And for your information I do not have sex on the first date or the second or the third and so on."

Thomas laughed, "Oh come on, Sam, I did not think that. Yeah I would like it, but there are other things we can do there; you know that. There are always people around having an party or talking or hanging out."

Sam shrugged, "Yeah but I just wanted to make sure you understood that before we go."

Freddie drove to the point which was an elevated wooded area that over looked the water front. It was a hang out for high school kids, some of the younger college kids that could not get into clubs to drink, burners who smoked up, and the occasional twenty odd aged people who could not let go of their youth. Freddie drove his car to the area where most parked at and the four got out. Freddie opened the trunk and grabbed a blanket and walked off into the woods holding a giggling Kelly's hand. Thomas looked at Sam and smiled sheepishly and Sam sighed.

"Come on, let's go hang a while." She grabbed the boy's hand and they walked to a group of kids drinking, laughing, and having a party with music blaring from a CD player.

Sam hung out with people she knew and was actually having a pretty decent time. She did not drink much and was nursing her second beer and smiled at Thomas_. He is cute and he is actually very nice and respectful. Not at all like I heard he was. What the hell…I won't die if I made out with him and he deserves something tonight_. Sam thought and handed her almost full beer bottle to a girl standing next to her and took Thomas's hand and led him into the woods. They settled on the ground in a small clearing away from the party and Sam could still hear the music blaring as she kissed the boy. Sam slid her tongue into Thomas's mouth and felt his go into hers and she moaned in response. She liked kissing but still she did not feel anything else. No arousal or feelings of wanting more. The boy gently pushed her on the soft grassy ground and rolled on top of her and kissed her harder. Sam moaned again but due to the weight of the boy on her and not desire. She kissed him back just as hard and had to remove his hand twice from her breasts. After the third time she pushed him off of her and sat up.

"I told you, Thomas, I am not doing that with you!"

Thomas started at her, "Damn it, Sam, we are making out and kissing like you want more and…fuck I can't help it. I'll control myself…I promise."

Sam shrugged and took the boy in her arms and started kissing again. It was not long and Sam found herself on her back again and wrapped her arms around the boy and kissed him deeper. She could feel his erection against her pelvic area. He started kissing her neck and his hand went under her shirt and tried to caress her breast. Sam tried to push him off her but he was too heavy.

"Stop, Thomas. I mean it…I…I don't want to do this. Please…please stop!" Sam shouted but the boy pushed her head to the ground and pinned her as his he ripped her shirt to get to her breasts.

"Shhh…you know you do, Sam…it will be great." He said and started kissing her neck and grinding his erect penis against her as she struggled and tried to get free but he was too heavy for her to push him off.

"No…please don't…ouch! Fuck that hurt…don't touch me there…please, Thomas…stop!" Sam yelled and she felt afraid he may rape her. He had torn her shirt and exposed her breasts from her now ripped bra and pinched her light brown nipple hard as he fondled her breasts.

"Damn, Sam…you have wonderful tits…you should not hide them so much." Thomas said with a grin and lowered his mouth to her nipple and started to suck. Sam screamed but no one could here her. Sam struggled as the boy's hand went down to her waist and started tugging at her pants and Sam panicked and screamed louder. As he started to pull down her jeans Sam remembered her years of martial arts training. In her panic state she had forgotten all she learned. Sam had been a first degree black belt for six months and when she sparred in class or at competitions she won the majority of times and the same with her sword training, but that was just sparring. She never had to use her training in real life and her fear made her forget what she knew. Until the boy's hand slid under her unzipped jeans and touched her pelvic area under her panties.

Sam screamed but this time in anger and her hand found the boy's testicles and she squeezed hard. Thomas yelled in agony and rolled off Sam grabbing his crouch. Sam stood up and buttoned her pants and tried her best to cover her expose breasts with her torn bra and shirt. Thomas struggled to his feet and glared at her.

"You, bitch! You are going to pay for that. I was being nice and gentle, but now I am going to fuck you hard and painfully. I may even fuck your ass!" He yelled at the girl and advanced to her.

Sam waited until he was at the right distance and before the boy could blink, Sam's right foot connected with the right side of his face as she round house kicked him. He staggered back and held his hurt face. When he stood and dropped his hands, Sam saw she had connected with the side of his face below his right eye as it started to swell.

"Stay away from me, Thomas, I mean it." Sam said in a shaky voice. She was frightened.

Thomas grinned, "I ain't going to fuck you now. Now I am going to beat the shit out of you." He advanced again and when he got closer Sam jumped a little and her right foot came straight up and connected with the bridge of the boy's nose. It sounded like a hammer cracking a piece of wood and he boy fell to his knees and grabbed his nose. Sam saw blood and mucus running between his fingers.

"You…you broke my nose, bitch! I'll get you for this, Puckett! I swear you will fucking pay for this!" Thomas got up and half walked and half staggered through the woods towards the party.

Sam stood there for a moment panting with anger and fear as she thought what to do. She decided to go find Freddie and have him take her home. She walked deeper into the woods holding her torn shirt to her chest in the direction she thought Freddie had gone with Kelly.

A few seconds after later a figure walked into the clearing. A figure of a lovely tall brunette girl in jeans a red tee shirt and a thin waist cut black leather jacket and wearing black boots. Carly had followed Sam since the girl left her house after being picked up by her friend and his girlfriend and the boy. Carly knew a date when she saw one and that made her angry. Her intention was not to stalk Sam but to visit the girl and ask why she had not called her, but that boy showed up! That made Carly angry and…jealous! She had not felt jealousy in years…a lot of years. She hated the feeling then and she hated it now. She followed the foursome all night and watched Sam and then when the blonde went into the woods with the boy, Carly followed then to. Carly could be almost invisible to mortals when she wanted to be. She watched and her unbeating heart ached when she saw the couple kissing. Her jealousy got stronger when the boy rolled on top of Sam and she thought she would have to kill the boy when Sam's arms wrapped around the boy as she spread her legs and kissed him deeper. Carly was prepared to pounce and rip the boys throat out and damn the outcome when Sam stopped the boy and told him no. Carly smiled a little then and the two started kissing again and she bared her fangs as the boy lifted Sam's shirt. The vampire again wanted to kill but this time to protect Sam from the boy as she heard the blonde girl tell him to stop. Carly could smell the fear in Sam and arousal in the boy as the he unbuttoned her pants and just as Carly was going to spring and tear the boy to bloody shreds Sam grabbed the boy and hurt him. Carly smiled and watched the scene and was impressed how Sam handled herself. The vampire girl had seen plenty of use of the martial arts over time and knew the majority of them herself. After all when you are immortal you had plenty of time to learn new things, and she thought Sam's form was good for the most part. After the boy and Sam left, she walked into the clearing. Carly looked in the direction Sam walked and the in the direction of the boy and hissed as she bared her fangs. She wanted to make sure Sam was alright, but her desire to kill the boy won out plus she had yet to feed tonight and felt her hunger and desire for blood increase as she smelled the blood on the ground from the boy's nose. Just as Carly turned to go after the injured boy she stopped suddenly and sniffed the air and frowned.

"Wolf!" She said aloud and looked once at the path the boy took and then ran in the direction Sam walked off to.

Sam walked through the woods shaking and scared when she realized she was lost. She could no longer hear the music from the party and she got confused. She started crying in her fear and every noise she heard made her jump as she walked not knowing where she was going. She felt a brief gust of a breeze in her hair and froze. _Maybe it was just a bird._ Sam thought and hoped she was right. She took another step and again froze as she saw a figure walking out of the tree line in front of her.

"T…T…Thomas…i…if that is you…I…I don't want a…a…any trouble." Sam stammered.

"Sam, don't be scared. It's me, Carly." Sam saw Carly walk into the light from the moon. She relaxed and before she knew how it happened she fell into the girl's arms and started crying. Carly took off her black leather jacket and put it around Sam to cover her exposed chest and then she stroked the girl's long blonde hair like a lover would. Sam moaned in pleasure as she cried.

"Shhh…its ok, Sam, I am here. Nothing will hurt you." Carly soothed the girl and Sam knew Carly was right. She felt so safe in the surprisingly strong arms of the girl. She buried her head in Carly's chest and felt another sensation besides safety. Sam felt herself getting aroused as the girl gently ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. This feeling frightened Sam and made her snap out of her euphoric state and she let go of Carly and backed away.

"W…what are you doing here? Have…have you been following me! You have haven't you? Did you see! Did you get a good show earlier when I was making out with Thomas?" Sam yelled.

Carly smelled the air and the scent of the wolf was getting stronger. "Sam, listen to me. You have to get out of here! You have to run. There is a wolf out here and it is hunting." Carly quickly explained.

Sam laughed, "A wolf! That is the most pathetic fucked up excuse I have ever heard…and trust me I have used a lot to get out of a tight spot! Why are you following me, Carly?" Sam turned to leave. She was lost but she needed to get away from this girl before she went crazy.

"Damn it! I don't have time for this!" Carly said under her breath. "Samantha! Look at me! I command you to look at me!" Carly hissed in a voice so unlike her own sweet musical voice. Sam seemed to struggle but she turned and stared at Carly. _Damn I am using a lot of power and she still fights me_, Carly thought and focused harder. "Listen to me Sam. You are in danger. Go back to the car! You know the way! You did not forget! Go back and run, Sam! Run fast!" Carly said forcefully in her unnatural voice. Sam's eyes went glassy and she nodded, turned, and ran quickly through the woods in the right direction.

"Whew…that took a lot of energy. At least I know I can vamp her, but damn, it was like running flat out into a stone wall." Carly muttered and rubbed her temples. She smelled the air again and grimaced. She then looked up into the tress and jumped off the ground forty feet onto a strong branch of a tall evergreen tree. She perched herself on the tree and soon what she was waiting for stalked into the clearing. Carly waited a few seconds and dropped down behind the wolf as silent as a panther. The wolf did not need its ears to hear the vampire; it could smell her. The beast turned its head and snarled at the girl

Carly stood about three feet from the wolf and it was not ordinary wolf. This beast walked on its two hind legs like a man. He was covered in a coarse dark brown fur and from it's muscular upper body jutted his front "legs" that if extended he could have reached the girl with one swipe and his blacked nailed four inch claws could have torn Carly in half. But he didn't strike. He sniffed the air.

"I thought I smelled your kind." The beast said in a low harsh voice that was half growl and half deep gurgling sound when coming from a mouth that was not shaped for human speech. He lowered his head and bared his teeth at Carly; showing his sharp teeth and what Carly would guess was three or four inch needle pointed canine fangs. There was no love between vampires and lycanthropes

"Now, Now…play nice, little doggie. Would you like for me to get a stick. We can play fetch." Carly said in a childlike voice.

"You stink, vampire. You smell like death." The werewolf sniffed again, "You are old…very old."

Carly stuck out her lower lip in a pout, "Aww…you don't get many dates do you, wolfie. Saying I smell and telling me I am old. You should tell me I smell like lilacs and I am cute. I'll tell you what…lets work on your social skills and I bet soon you can hook up with a cute little French puddle and raise a whole litter with her."

The beast growled again and bared his teeth at Carly, but he knew as well as she did he would not strike. He would boast, threaten, and bully her but both knew he would not dare strike at one as old as her. After all she was not fledging Vampire to rip and tear. This one had power.

Carly knew it as well. She knew she could easily kill him, but she was a little nervous. One maybe two she could handle easily but if he was hunting with his pack she would be in serious trouble. She hoped he was just a lone hunter but doubted it. For all their strength and power and supernatural abilities, werewolves could be cowardly at times.

"What are you doing here, undead whore." The wolf man growled again.

Carly shrugged. "The same as you…I have yet to feed tonight and I am hungry."

The werewolf backed away, "You know you cannot feed on me. My blood would make you sick when I have shifted."

Carly giggled, "Oh, wolfie boy, I would not feed on you even if you were in human form. I find the blood of your kind…ummm…too gamey like all wild animals."

"Then leave me and go back to your hunt. I am hunting myself and you scared away my prey." He snarled, "I was about to catch her and…wait…" The wolf started laughing and to Carly it was an obscene sound from that mouth. "You smelled her too…didn't you? You smelled the magic in her blood. I have never tasted the flesh of one as she but the elders tell me it is delicious and the sweetest meat they have ever eaten. But her kind are rare and not many exist now. They tell me I can get strength from the morrow of her bones, vampire! I shall break those bones and suck out her morrow, undead cunt! "

Carly bared her fangs and hissed, "You leave that one alone, cur! If you touch her I will rip you apart! I will tear you from crouch to sternum and make you watch as I rip you heart out and feed it to the crows. But not before I kill your entire pack in front of your eyes! Let you hear the screams of your bitches as they beg for mercy and to die a quick death. I will then murder your cubs while they are in human form so you hear the cries of their little voices as they die a horrible death! I warn you, wolf, leave her alone!" Carly screamed in the voice of the damned as her eyes blazed like red hot coals and the werewolf back away further in fear. She took a deep breath and regained control of herself. "There is plenty of young meat here tonight. May I suggest a handsome youth with a bloody and broken nose?" She said sweetly.

The wolf regained a little courage, "I don't hunt the girl for me, vampire bitch. I hunt her for one of your kind." He sniffed again and seemed to gain more courage as he gave a chuckle that sounded like fingers nails running down a chalk board. "You…I don't recognize your scent. You are new here."

Carly tensed and was ready to strike, "So…that is none of your concern." She hissed.

The wolf chuckled again and Carly wished he would not do that, "Oh…but you should be concerned. I hunt the girl not to feed on her, but to give her to the Mistress of the city."

Carly shrugged nonchalantly but her mind was working, _why would a Mistress Vampire want Sam for? Unless…shit! She must know about her as well. Damn that mortal and her web cast…it is going to get her killed!_ Carly thought, "Like I care what a Mistress in this hell hole of a city would want. I will deal with her after I deal with you if you harm a blonde hair on that girl's head!" Carly was not concerned with a Mistress in a city this new. If she wanted she could control this city as well as most other new ones as old as she was but she hated responsibility.

The wolf laughed, "Ohhh…you think you have the power for her? I will leave her alone…tonight, vampire whore, but Cassandra wants her and she will get her." The wolf turned quickly and raced back into the woods.

"Cassandra! Cassandra who? Answer me, wolf! Cassandra who!" Carly yelled after him and she heard his growling laughter as he ran. She could have gone after him. He was fast, supernatural fast, but so was she. It would be a good race but she knew she could catch him eventually, but she didn't. Instead she fell to the round on her butt and rubbed her temples. "No…it can't be. She can't be here. She was in Istanbul the last I heard…of course that was ages ago. No…it is not her. There are plenty of people named Cassandra. After all…it is a common name." Carly said aloud. A habit she picked up years ago. When you have been alive…or undead…as long as Carly was you tend to pick up habits. She stood and tried to convince herself this Mistress was a different Cassandra. "Has to be…but…but what if it is not. Oh damn, damn, damn! What have you gotten yourself into Carly Shay! All of this over a silly mortal and your desire for a piece of ass." Carly cursed herself in Latin, another very old habit and one she did when she was worried. She ran trough the woods thinking of Sam and hoping the girl was safe. She decided to go by the girl's house to make sure. Even if she thought she was being foolish she knew Sam was not just a _piece of ass, _but someone who had the gift. The werewolf confirmed it tonight and plus…Carly liked the blonde girl a lot…_maybe too much_, she thought as she smelled her hand that had been stroking Sam's hair, j_asmine…I adore jasmine._


	5. Chapter 5

Freddie dropped Sam off at her house later that night and walked her to the door despite Kelly's protest and jealousy.

"Sam…you ok…you seem a little shaken up. Very unSam like." Freddie said with a grin. "And we left Thomas…did…did he try something?"

Sam smiled, "Yeah…but I took care of it. You know I can take care of myself. It…it was not Thomas that…well…has me all shaken up."

"What then?"

Sam thought for a moment but she could not tell her friend about Carly and how the girl followed her and she could never tell him that somehow Carly got into her mind and controller her. He would think she was crazy. Sam knew the sexy Brunette got into her mind and made her leave but she could not control her actions. How she knew she did not know and how the girl did it she did not know. It was just too weird. "I'm fine…really…you had better go before Kelly has a tantrum."

"Ok…but…well…were did you get that jacket?" Freddie asked.

Sam looked at herself; she had forgotten about the leather jacket Carly gave her. "Oh…well…I picked it up. I needed something to…cover myself. Thomas kind of…well…her ripped my shirt."

Freddie sighed, "Sam, if I knew how to fight I would kick his ass for you. You know that, right?"

Sam nodded and did something she or Freddie did not expect. She leaned in and kissed the boy on the cheek and smiled when she pulled back, "Thanks, Freddio, for being a friend. And…if you tell anyone I said that or kissed your dorky face I will kill you."

Freddie laughed, "Hell…no one would believe me anyway. You sure you're ok?" Sam nodded, "Well…see you tomorrow. We still have to rehearse for Iam Sam."

Sam grinned, "Of course…around eight. I'll cook dinner."

Freddie laughed, "Hell no! We'll order a pizza. You are a terrible cook." Sam gave him and obscene finger gesture and he walked to his car laughing.

"So…did you enjoy that?" Kelly asked Sam as he got into the car.

"Enjoy what?"

"Her kissing you! I can't believe you let her do that!" Kelly said angrily.

Freddie laughed, "I love you Kelly, but sometimes you are so…stupid. She is a friend and that is all."

Kelly crossed her arms and pouted as Freddie drove her home, "I am not stupid." She muttered under her breath, "And I love you too."

Sam walked into her house and tossed the jacket on the couch and took a shower. She wanted to wash Thomas from her body. She paid special attention to her breasts where the boy slobbered all over them. As she washed her soapy nipples they became erect and her thoughts turned to Carly and how he girl held her. It felt good…too good to have her hold her and protect her. Sam soon imagined the beautiful brunette kissing her and her responding and soon her left hand gently pinched her nipple and her right found its way to her clit. Sam moaned as he rubbed her clit and fondled her own breast imagining Carly sucking her nipples and using _her_ long delicate fingers on her clit. Sam started rubbing herself harder and moaning louder. Soon her desire over came her and she started imagining Carly controlling her like she did earlier tonight, but this time the brunette controlled her to force her to make love to her. Sam let out a loud squeaking moan. "Ohhh….Carly!" She shouted as her orgasm hit her. She kept rubbing faster as she came and soon she collapsed against the glass shower door panting and breathing hard.

"Oh…wow…double wow! That is what it feels like…shit…what have I missed all these years." She muttered as she panted and then her eyes flew open. "No! No! No! I…I can't be attracted to her! I can't be! And how the hell did she get into my mind. She must be a witch or something! Maybe she is making me attracted to her. Maybe she made me do what I just did!" Sam said aloud and then laughed, "Sam…you watch too many horror movies. I don't believe in monsters. But…she did something tonight."

Feeling guilty about what she just did and who she thought about Sam dried off and decided to watch a little television before going to bed. She changed into a tee shirt and a pair of short black pajama bottoms and then used the remote to turn on the television. She sighed as the news was on and then paused and suddenly got interested in the story.

"…_the police have no idea how many there may have been but witnesses to the attack describe only a single animal that was very large. The police suspect a wolf that came into the city area and may have been living I the woods surrounding the Point, as teenagers call it, for days and lack of a food source may have drove the animal to attack a human. Animal Control has been called and the hunt for the animal that committed this terrible attack will resume in the morning. This is channel twelve's action reporter Maria Sanchez. Back to you, Michael."_

"_Thanks, Maria. Again an apparent wolf attack has left two teenager girls dead and badly mutilated in an area near the water front known as The Point. Stay tuned for sports."_

"Holy shit!" Sam exclaimed. "I…wow…she was right…I…Oh fuck! I…I hope one of those girls was not Carly! Oh shit! She…she was out there." Sam got up and grabbed her cell phone and dialed the number she had programmed in the phone days ago. The phone rang three times and the other line answered.

"Well hello, you." Carly said into the phone.

"Carly! Are you ok! I was watching the news and you were right…and not making it up…about the wolf I mean." Sam said excitedly in the phone. "It killed two girls and…and I…I thought…fuck…never mind…sorry to call this late."

Carly giggled, "Awww…you thought one may have been me? You are so sweet. But as you can tell I am fine. Just about to get a quick bite. I appreciate you calling me and don't worry about the time…I am a night person anyway."

"Well…ok then. Bye and glad you are ok." Sam pressed the end button and tossed her cell phone on the table. _Fuck! That was real smooth, Puckett_. She sat back on the couch and started thinking of earlier_. How did she know there was a wolf anyway? Maybe she saw it…but of she was close enough to see it in the dark then how come it didn't attack her? And the mind thing. I am not crazy! I know I was lost and wondering around and then I see her…and she was following me! Then…then she got into my mind and made me leave! I know she did…right? I mean…I am not crazy! Am I? Oh fuck Sam…what is going on! She is driving me crazy! _Sam sat on the couch rubbing her head and her cell phone rang. She got up and picked it up off the table and looked at the number, "Oh Shit!" She shouted when she saw Carly's name on the caller ID. Sam let it ring while she gripped the phone tight in her hand and started pacing the room. After it stopped it started ringing again. She flipped the phone open.

"What!"

"You know…it was very rude of you to hang up on me and then not to answer your phone when I knew you were at home was even worse." Carly's told her in a teasing voice.

"Well…look, Carly, I…what do you want?"

"To see you…now…right now." Carly said and to Sam her voice sounded pouty and cute.

"I…no…it is too late…I have school in the morning."

"Sam, tomorrow is Saturday." Carly said with a giggle, "Let me some see you…please."

"And if I say no I suppose you are going to make me see you." Sam snapped.

"What on earth do you mean? I do not think you are the kind of girl people make do anything." Carly responded after a slight pause.

"You know damn well what I mean!" Sam snapped into the phone. She waited for Carly to say something but all she got was silence. "Fine! Come see me…but no tricks! I mean it! No funny business!" Sam said after about a pause.

"Aww, Sam…none at all? I mean there is funny business and then there is funny business." Carly giggled.

"Bye, Carly…I am hanging up now." Sam said.

Sam heard the girl giggle again, "See you soon, Samantha."

Sam closed her phone, "Shit…she…she was flirting with me…oh damn it, Sam, what did you just do." Sam said to herself and then she glanced at the hallway mirror and screamed. Sam ran to the bathroom and started brushing her hair that was all frizzy because she did not brush it out after she took a shower. She cursed and yelled as she brushed out the tangles and then looked at her face. Sam frowned and grabbed her rarely used makeup case and started applying some makeup. She cursed again as she got mascara in her eye and when done she looked at herself. "You look like a cheap whore", Sam said aloud when she saw her poorly applied makeup and grabbed a wash cloth to wash her face and then panicked when she heard the doorbell ring. "Fuck!" She screamed, "How did she get here so fast!"

Carly was standing outside Sam's house when Sam called her. She was not stalking the girl but wanted to make sure the girl got home safe and was safe after she got home. The vampire girl knew the werewolf went hunting after he left her; she could smell the blood he spilled and a panicked Carly saw the bodies hoping one of them was not Sam. Satisfied the wolf did not attack the blonde girl, Carly then went to Sam's house and was prepared to stay all night and make sure the girl was safe from the vampire mistress that wanted her. She knew it would not be long for the local covenant to start looking for her, that damn wolf would tell. Carly cursed herself for letting the thing live but her mind was so confused with thoughts of Sam. The vampire was about to take a break from her vigilance to find someone to drain for her meal when Sam called. After Sam called her and she called her back Carly waited just a few minutes and walked to the door of the home. She did think it was very cute how the blonde got all flustered when she talked on the phone and Carly decided to play along and see how much Sam would take before she lost complete control. One thing puzzled her through, how did Sam know she had been vamped? That was not supposed to happen. After the other girl's comments about tricks and funny business, Carly knew Sam had known the vampire controlled her. That was not the way it worked. Even when Carly vamped lesser vampires they did not know they had been controlled…so how had Sam a mortal. She sighed and rang the doorbell and waited. She giggled when she heard Sam scream and curse. _Funny…I have been giggling a lot lately…I have not giggled this much in…wow since I was alive_.

Sam ran to the door and unlocked it and opened it and quickly ran back to the bathroom. When she got halfway down the hall she stopped when Carly called out.

"Well…aren't you going to invite me in?" Carly said sweetly.

Sam rolled her eyes, "Wow…miss manners huh?" She said without turning around. She did not want Carly to see her looking like a prostitute.

"Well…I was taught it is rude to come into a home uninvited…call it one of my quirks."

Sam chuckled, "Fine, princess, you are invited into my home. Happy now."

Carly crossed the threshold of the door, "Yes…very. Thank you."

"Have a seat…I'll be right back." Sam dashed into the bathroom as Carly looked around the house. _From the look of things and the neighborhood, Sam and her mother just barely got by_ Carly thought as she sat down and sneezed. _Dust…she doesn't clean much._

Sam walked into the room a few minutes latter and her face was red from he scrubbing she gave it and Carly smiled at her as the blonde sat in a chair across the room.

"Sam…you don't have to sit so far away. I don't bite." Carly smiled, _at least not yet…maybe another time. God her blood smells wonderful. That stupid wolf was right…it smells sweet. I have never smelled blood like this._

Sam shrugged, "Safer over here. So why are you here and…how the hell did you get here so fast…and…and how did you know there was a wolf out there tonight…and…and what the fuck did you do to me tonight…and…why do you make me feel this fucking way! I hate it!" Sam said so fast Carly barely understood her.

"Whoa…slow down before you burst. Your heart is beating a mile a minute." Carly grinned. She could hear Sam's heart beat and it sounded like Mozart to her undead ears. _Oh, damn…why didn't I feed before I came over? Hell in this neighborhood I could easily have found someone_. She thought. Carly did not have to feed every night but she liked to. She had been undead for too long to take chances. She could go a three or four days without feeding before she started getting weak, but smelling Sam's blood and hearing her heart beat stirred Carly and her lusts…and not just her blood lust. She wanted the girl badly as the smell of that wonderful liquid coursing through Sam's body reached her senses. _Hell the smell even turns me on…what the hell are you, girl?_ _You are going to be a target for every vampire who some within smelling distance of you_. Carly could not help herself a she drifted her eyes down Sam's body and appreciated the way the girl's very short pajama bottoms rode up the girl's backside. Sam noticed Carly's stare and adjusted herself and then Carly's eyes went to the blonde girl's chest and admired Sam's breasts as he chest heaved in her excitement and her nipples were erect. Sam crossed her arms and blushed.

Carly pulled her legs under her but and twisted her body in a seductive manner s she sat in the couch and stretched. Sam stared and thought the move was sexy and very feline like. She felt her body responding to Carly and she despised it. Carly grinned at her when she was caught staring.

"Lets start with question number one, shall we? I am here because I wanted to see you. To make sure you were safe and more importantly…I just wanted to see you…that is not a crime. Second, I got here so fast because I was already on my way over hoping you would see me. Third, I knew there was a wolf because I heard it growl and howl. Fourth, I have no clue what you are talking about…I did not do anything to you but warn you about the wolf and try and help you after that boy tried to rape you. And fifth…just how do I make you feel, Sam?"

"You _did_ do something to me! You were in my mind…I felt it! I tried to get you out but…it was like…like trying to lift something that was too heavy! And you make me feel…like…like…I don't know! I just don't like it! When you are around me I feel…weak. Like I can't control myself…and…scared! I don't like feeling weak or scared, Carly!"

Carly smiled, "Sam…I did not do anything to your mind. You just were in shock a little maybe and imagined it. As for the other…is it so bad to feel week? To rely on someone else can be a good thing sometimes…and never want to scare you, Sam." Carly stood up and walked to Sam and when she stood in front of her Sam tried to lean back in the chair as far as she could to get away from the beautiful girl. Carly grinned at the shaking blonde and straddled her legs and put her arms around the girl's neck.

"Sam…let yourself go, baby. Don't be so uptight." Carly leaned in and kissed Sam gently on the lips. Sam wanted to turn her head, she wanted to push the girl off her, and she wanted to escape, but she did not have the power to do so and deep down she did not know if she even wanted to. She let Carly kiss her and soon she responded.

Sam wrapped her own arms around Carly and kissed her back and opened her mouth to allow Carly's tongue access to her. She moaned and dug her finger nails in Carly's back when the vampire's tongue entered her mouth and soon her own tongue tried to twist around Carly's. The girl's kissed passionately and Sam thrust her butt up to try and make her already swollen clit rub against Carly. Carly pulled away from Sam's and the brunette licked and started kissing Sam's neck. Sam trembled, whimpered and moaned.

Sam had never felt the way she was feeling right now when she kissed the boys she had made out with in the past. Her body tingled and nipples grew erect and her clit throbbed with wanting desire. She never felt like this before and it scared her but she wanted more. She wanted Carly to touch her all over and she wanted to touch Carly. She gasped as Carly nibbled her ear. Sam had discovered the feeling the girls in the locker room and bathrooms at school had talked about. Sam had discovered what it was like to have sexual desire and she wanted more. She let out a loud moan as Carly's hand went under her shirt and fondled her erect light brown nipple and then gave a gasp as the delightful pain of Carly pinching her nipple aroused her more. Her touch was so unlike anything Sam had ever felt. She wrapped her hands around Carly's head and tried to thrust harder and make Carly's crouch rub against hers. Sam knew she was not crazy and that Carly had entered her mind earlier and made her do things, and she also knew right now Carly was not in her mind. Her wanting and desire was of her own excitement.

"Ohhh…Car…Carly…uhhh…please…please…I…I want you, please…take me to the bedroom." Sam moaned out.

Carly smiled and started kissing the girl's neck again. She started grinding her hips as she tweaked Sam's erect nipple. She wanted Sam badly. She had not wanted someone this bad since her dear Octavia many years ago. Carly had not remained celibate over her many years of being undead and took lovers. Both mortal and vampire and both male and female, but her desire for Sam was stronger than she had from any of them. She started grinding harder and slid her hand from Sam's nipple down to her shorts and touched the girl's clit. Sam gasped and jumped at the pleasure and dug her nails deeper into Carly's back. Carly started kissing the girl's neck again and was about to enter her pussy with her finger when suddenly her fangs came out and she had a stronger desire to bit the girl. She wanted to rip the blonde's throat and suck her wonderful smelling blood and as she drained Sam dry she wanted to bring the girl to orgasm.

Sam gasped as she felt Carly's teeth scrape on her skin, "Please Carly…more…please don't stop…enter me…I want you inside me. Please…" Sam begged with her eyes closed and in between gasps of pleasure.

Carly raised her head over Sam's shoulder and her pupils turned blood read and her fangs were showing prominently. Her desire to drink the girl's blood was too much to control. She never wanted to taste the life giving liquid of any of her victims as much as she did Sam's. It drove her mad with blood lust and her desire to drink was greater than her desire to make love to the girl she may have fallen in love with so quickly. She gave a slight hiss and dropped her mouth to Sam's neck.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam had her eyes closed and was gasping in pleasure as Carly rubbed her clit. The vampire girl was prepared to bit Sam and drain the girl's magical blood and as her mouth came down to Sam's neck she placed her index finger inside the girl. She wanted Sam to orgasm and she drank from her body. Sam let out a high pitched scream of pleasure when Carly's finger went inside her and her nails dug even deeper into Carly's back.

"Ohhhh! God, Carly…I…I…I love you!" Sam screamed in her pleasure and just as Carly was about to bite she froze as she heard Sam's words. Carly jumped off the girl and placed her chin on her chest and let her long black hair hide her face. Her fangs were still out and she could feel the fire in her eyes and knew they were still red.

"I…I have to go, Sam…I…I am sorry." Carly muttered and quickly left the house.

"Carly! What…what is wrong! Come back…please come back! What…what did I do?" Sam screamed. The blonde girl sank deep in her chair and started crying.

Carly quickly left the house and she too had tears in her eyes. They were not tears of blood like a number of myths suggested, but tears as real as a mortal's. _Why did she have to say that? Why did she have to say she loved me? Did she mean it or was it just the moment? Damn it! Why does she have to look so much like Octavia! I…I will not do to her what I did not Octavia! I…I can control it now…I am older now! I know how to create one now! _Carly thought as she walked on the sidewalk in the direction of her apartment. Her thoughts drifted to that long ago time.

A lady dressed in a white toga with red trim stood on her balcony over looking the city of Rome. She loved this city and its architect. She was over fifty now and still an attractive woman with long blonde hair with only a hint of gray. Her children and step children and sons in laws and grand children were sleeping and she was enjoying the sight when she heard a light footfall behind her. She turned and stared at a beautiful brunette girl of seventeen.

"Julia! What are you doing here! You…you are not allowed here anymore!"

The girl walked to the woman, "Please, Octavia…I…I love you…I have always loved you ever since we were younger and…we…we had something and…please don't turn your back on me…please." Julia begged.

Octavia sneered, "That is it isn't it…when we were younger. Well I am not young anymore, Julia, but you are. I have been married twice…the first man I hated and my brother forced me for his own political gain but the second man was a good man. I have born four children and have three stepchildren and six grandchildren and I am old, Julia, old and it shows. But you…you look like you did the day you died. So beautiful and lovely and…and young and I envy you for that, Julia…but I don't envy what it cost you. I mourned your death, Julia…I wept tears for days! My mother and brother did not know why I was upset, but I did…I loved you so much Julia! And…and three days after you were buried on the Field of Mars you came to me…remember, Julia?" Julia nodded her head as tears ran down her checks, "I thought I was dreaming and then…you…you told me what you had become. But I loved you so much I did not care and I was happy, Julia…so damn happy."

"Octavia, please…love me like that again…love me as I have always loved you."

Octavia raised her hand to silence the girl, "And then I started to grow old and you did not and I was afraid you would not love me anymore but you did and again I was happy. When my brother married me to that brute…that butcher…I still loved you. But as I grew older and bore children I saw it n your eyes…the eyes of a monster and I knew you would stop loving me one day. No, Julia…you must leave and never come back!"

Julia cried, "Please, Octavia, please…I will always love you until…"

Octavia laughed, "Until the day I die?" The young girl walked over to the older woman and caressed her cheek. Octavia moaned, "Please…don't, Julia, don't do this to me. I can't…we can't. Not anymore."

Julia smiled, "That was not what you said three nights ago, love."

Octavia closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against Julia's hand and moaned again, "A…a moment of weakness." Octavia then opened her eyes and stepped back quickly. "Go, Julia, go and never come back. You…you are cursed by the gods and I…I don't love you anymore. I can never love a…a _thing_ like you!" Octavia turned and walked rapidly away.

Julia screamed an unearthly scream. It was a scream of the damned. "The gods? The gods did not do this to me!" She jumped and landed in front of the woman. "No! No, Octavia…if you cannot love me then you will love no one!" Julia's eyes blazed red and her fangs came out. Octavia screamed as Julia's mouth closed on her neck and soon she fell into the young girl's arms as the girl drank her blood. Julia felt the woman's heart beat grow weak and soon it stopped as she emptied Octavia of her blood. She let the woman fall to the ground and sank to her knees next to the corpse. Julia gently picked up Octavia's head and cradled it against her breast and cried. "No…No! What have I done?" She brought her wrist to her own mouth and ripped it open with her fangs and pressed it to the dead woman's lips. "Drink it! Please, Octavia, drink it and live! Please…I…I love you and never meant to hurt you! Please drink!" She begged the corpse but the blood just dribbled down the dead woman's chin. Julia pressed her head onto the woman's and cried.

"I told you, Julia, you should never love a mortal." A voice made her head snap up.

"What are you doing here, Cassandra?" Julia said harshly.

"I followed you of course. I told you never to come here again but you disobeyed me. You will need to be punished."

"Punished! Haven't you punished me enough? I was punished the day you made me! Why didn't you let me die?" Julia screamed.

Cassandra laughed, "Because I liked you and if you remember, you begged me to help you live."

"Because I was too young and foolish and afraid of death to understand what you offered me!" Julia screamed at Cassandra and then looked at the body of the woman she had loved for over forty years.

"Come, Julia, we have to go now. You punishment waits." Cassandra commanded and the girl gently kissed Octavia's lips and laid her head on the marble floor. She stood and took Cassandra's hand in hers. She had not choice but to go. Cassandra was her maker and so much older than her. She was a slave to her Mistress's whims. Julia looked into the eyes of Cassandra, "Why didn't it work, Cassandra? She should have healed and then became like us. I gave her my blood after she died…like you did me. Why?"

Cassandra looked at the girl, "Because you drained her completely, Julia. You have to leave just the right amount. I will teach you one day. I have so much to teach you, Julia."

Julia shook her head, "No…I…I never will love again and I never want to curse anyone as you cursed me."

Cassandra laughed, "Silly, Julia…we have a gift not a curse. One day you will see that but you are young now so I understand. I felt that way at one time as well."

"One day you will release me from your service and I will be able to escape you as well."

Cassandra laughed again, "Perhaps…but that may be years…many many years…you are to fun of a toy right now. Come, Julia…we must go."

_Sam will not become like her. I will not kill her and she will never become like me_. Carly thought and decided maybe it was best to go back to New York or Paris or even Tokyo. She liked Tokyo. The Asian vampires of that city were very disciplined and not chaotic as the old European ones could be.

"Julia…stop!" A male voice called out behind her and Carly turn in a crouch and bared her fangs.

"Calm down, Julia…it's me. Felipe." Carly saw a man walk into the light from the streetlight. He was about an inch shorter than her. He was pudgy and not very good looking. He appeared to be about forty or forty five and had a balding head. Another myth about vampires were that they were all very attractive and perfect, but that was not true. Their immortal appearance was the same as when they were made into the undead. Carly knew one vampire girl that was made when she was PMSing and bloated. She was a very grumpy vampire bitch for a hundred or so years until a hunter killed her with a wooden stake and burned her body in the sunlight.

"What are you doing here, Felipe?" Carly said and her undead heart froze in fear. Not of the vampire who was much younger than she was. She was afraid because the last time she saw Felipe he served the same mistress as she had once served.

"Julia…or Carly…you change names so much I forget…Cassandra wants to see you." The male said a little sadly. Carly stood up and relaxed a little.

"I prefer Carly…the wolf told huh?" Felipe nodded, "What is she doing here, Felipe? She is much too old to want a city like this one. It is not her style."

Felipe shrugged, "We have been here for about a month. She took over the covenant, which was rather easy. The old master was young…younger than me. She…she wants the girl, Ju…Carly."

Carly's eyes blazed, "Why? Why does she want her? She is just a seventeen year old mortal!"

Felipe shrugged again, "She won't say, but we all can sense she is different. You know Cassandra and her crazy premonitions. She said she has seen the girl's future and the girl must die. Of course we don't believe her…but she is in charge and we have to obey. Please don't make this difficult, Carly. She just wants to talk and…I think she misses you. You were always her favorite."

Carly shrugged, "Maybe…maybe not. But she released me and has no control over me like she did before. Why should I come?"

Felipe frowned, "Please, Carly, she may have released you but she is stronger and she can destroy you. I don't want to see you destroyed, Julia. You were always so kind to me."

Carly sighed, "Ok…I will follow you." Carly walked next to the man, "Tell me, Felipe, why do you serve her willingly. She would have released you years ago. You know how she gets bored easily."

Felipe grinned, "I am not as old as you, Carly, and with her…she can protect me."

Carly smiled, "Poor, Felipe, you always were weak…but I always liked you."

The two vampires then used their supernatural speed and arrived to meet the Mistress of the city. Carly was led to the University District and smiled; _yeah Cassandra always did have a fondness for young people_. Felipe lead her to an old deserted looking building and then once inside he walked her to a brick wall. The male vampire pushed a series of red bricks and the wall opened up and in front of them was a long winding staircase. The couple walked down the stair case and then through a twisting tunnel well beneath the city and eventually arrived at a large marble door and on the door was carved a stallion that was painted black. Carly smiled at the horse.

"I see she must have redecorated?"

Felipe chuckled, "You know Cassandra she never will forget the city of her birth."

Carly giggled and then sobered up, "Well…shall we go meet the princess?"

Felipe opened the door and gently pushed Carly in, "No…just you, dear."

Carly turned and as the door was closing the door behind her and muttered, "Coward." Carly walked into the large room lit by many candles. She looked around and smiled at the décor. The room looked like it belonged in a museum. She noted the ancient sculptures of the long forgotten god Apollo and other sculptures. Carly noted the one of the Greek hero Achilles killing the Trojan hero Hector and smirked, Cassandra always did have an obsession with the death of Hector. Other items in the room included various gold images of horses and other animals and then her eyes looked at the chair where Cassandra sat. Well a chair was an understatement; it was a throne made of hand carved wood and laden with gold and jewels. Carly smiled again, Cassandra still had that throne after all these years. The girl's eyes then focused on the girl on the throne. Of course she had not changed over these hundreds of years. She was immortal but Carly had almost forgotten how beautiful the girl was. She was thin and looked to be about thirteen or fourteen (Carly knew she was fourteen when she was made undead) and had long light auburn hair that came way past her shoulders. Her eyes were a brilliant green and sparkled in the light of the candles and her lips a ruby red. She was dressed in a thin see through white linen tunic that came to her ankles and Carly could see the girl's pink nipples of her budding breasts that never got a chance to form fully before she died and the dark patch in her crouch area that was her pubic hair. Cassandra once told her even the goddess Aphrodite was jealous of her beauty and Carly could see why. She never met any one, mortal or immortal, as beautiful as Cassandra or as unstable.

Cassandra ignored Carly as she pawed at the tall man that stood to her right. He was a tall well built black man dressed in nothing but a lion cloth and Carly blushed as she saw he was obviously excited by the girl's caresses on his hairless chest. He looked to be about thirty or thirty five and Carly knew he was a vampire. To her left stood another tall man, this one had tan skin and brown hair and also muscular. He looked about forty and was neither a vampire nor a human servant. Carly's fangs came out and she hissed at the man when he saw her and gave a low growl.

"I should have killed you earlier tonight, wolf!" Carly hissed.

The man laughed, "You could have tried, undead bitch!"

Cassandra giggled like the girl she was, "Ohhh…how exciting." She turned her attention to the werewolf in his human form, "Mathew, shall I have you shift and fight her?" She asked in a childlike voice and giggled again.

"If it pleases you, Mistress, I shall shift and kill her for you." The man said with a bow of his head. He was braver here than he had been when alone in he woods. Werewolves shifted beyond their control on full moons but had the ability to change shape when ever they wanted to as well.

Carly did not take her eyes off the man and smiled slightly. Cassandra laughed and hit her hand on the arm chair of her throne in her humor. "Oh poor Mathew, she would rip you to shreds and not break a nail. Do not let her beauty fool you. You may go now." Cassandra said with a wave of her hand in dismissal. The werewolf glared at Carly, who smiled back at him, and walked from the room through a side door.

"Ohhhhh…how delightful to see you again, Julia…it has been way to long. You never come to visit me." Cassandra pouted and stuck her lower lip out.

Carly shrugged, "I prefer Carly now, Cassie. I see you still have your father's throne. Kind of sad don't you think? You really need to let it go, dear. Seriously…he died so many years ago and all due to his own stupidity. I mean, come on, Cassie, you told him and he did not believe you and he fell for that trick a blind man could have seen and brought…"

Cassandra leaned up in her chair and gripped the sides of her throne tight, "How dare you talk about my father like that! He was a king, Julia! What was your father? You father was nothing but a butcher and a traitor to his country! My father was noble and a great king! While you father made a name for his self conquering illiterate trips and murdering their children! My father was a loyal to his people! While your father caused a civil war and tore his country apart!"

Carly chuckled, "Well that may be true…but my father is in the history books as a great man and military genius, Cassie, while your father was only mentioned in a poem told by a blind poet."

Carly did not care what the girl said of her father and really did not care about Cassandra's father. She just enjoyed taunting the girl who had cursed her long ago and who she had served and sometimes that service was humiliating and degrading. It also was dangerous…very dangerous…but real fun. _She has got some serious daddy issues_, Carly thought as Cassandra relaxed back on her throne.

"I will not let you provoke me tonight, Julia. Have you eaten yet?" Carly shook her head. For all her bravado she was afraid. She knew if Cassandra wanted her destroyed the little bitch could do it very easily.

"No…I am not hungry."

Cassandra smiled, "A shame…I have the sweetest young man waiting. These mortals are so silly. Some actually want to be bitten and try and live as vampires." She giggled again. The girl turned to the vampire next to her, "You may leave now. Wait for me in my chamber and you need feed since I want you strong and virile tonight." The tall black man nodded and left through the same door the werewolf did. She turned back to Carly.

"You have been a very naughty girl, Julia. Very naughty indeed."

Carly shrugged, "What do you want, Cassandra. You do not own me anymore. You released me a long time ago."

Cassandra got off the thrown and glided on the floor to Carly with her feet about an inch off the floor. When in front of the brunette she reached up and caressed the taller girl's face. Carly turned her head and flinched. She had forgotten how short the vampire girl was. She only stood about five one and was very thin since her body had yet to develop fully and never would. But up closer she was even more beautiful. Cassandra giggled when Carly turned her head.

"Yes I released you, but a decision I have regretted many times over the years. I truly missed you, Julia. You were so much fun. Do you ever think about joining me again?"

Carly nodded, "I have…and when I do I can't eat for days it makes me so ill."

Cassandra laughed, "Oh Julia…you always had a sharp tongue on you. I should have cut it out before I made you." She used her levitation and when she was eye level she kissed Carly on the cheek and glided back to her throne. "You should have made your presence known when you entered the city." The girl said in a chastising voice.

Carly nodded, "I…I did not know you were here. So…why did you want to see me?"

"I want you to stop protecting the girl…the mortal Samantha. I want her for myself."

"Why…why do you want her?" Carly started to get afraid.

Cassandra laughed, "To feed of course…when the time is right I will release her full potential and feed on her. Then her blood will be fantastic and then I will turn her. When she is turned by me and her potential released her power will be mine to control."

Carly shivered, "What…what power, Cassandra? Why is she that important to you?"

"Julia, you can sense it…we all can…her power is of the old ways. Older than the coming of the One God and His Son and older than me. There are only a few of them left and they keep to themselves. Plus I have seen her in a vision, Julia. A terrible vision. You do not know what you are protecting. She will kill our kind. She will hunt us and kill us. I have seen it. She must either die or be under my control to stop this from coming true."

"Why should I believe you? I know she has power, but what power does she have, Cassandra? Tell me?"

Cassandra giggled and shook her head, "No…if I tell you then you will use her yourself."

Carly swallowed hard, "I…I cannot let you have her, Cassandra…I…I care about her."

The girl laughed hard and held her stomach, "Oh, Julia, you and your weakness for mortal girls…I thought you would have gotten over that after all these years." She sat up straight in her chair and leaned forward. "Do not protect her, Julia! I warn you, girl, I may no longer own you but I am stronger than you and you know I can destroy you!" Her voice was no longer that of a young teenager but it shrieked and hissed like a banshee. She stared at Carly for a moment and relaxed again when Carly took several steps back in fear. She smiled, "I can smell your fear, Julia, and I only warn you because of my fondness for you. But if you get in my way I will destroy you only after I punish you more sever than I did in the old days. Understood! You may go now…I am in the need to be entertained." Cassandra got up and walked out the side door the tall black vampire had gone through.

Carly nodded and walked out the way she came trembling in fear. She knew she would not stand a chance against Cassandra but she did not want Sam to get hurt, die, or become like her and under Cassandra's sadistic control. She got back outside and saw it was almost dawn. She needed to get home but she needed to go and warn Sam as well. She chuckled coldly at that thought, _warn her against something she does not even knows exists. Oh this is not good, Carly Shay! You are such a fool! You can leave and never come back…go to Tokyo and live for a century or two and forget Samantha Puckett!_ Carly looked at the sky and saw she had an hour at most before the sun would rise. "Shit! As my father said when he crossed that river, 'Alea iacta est'." Carly ran as fast as she could to Sam's house.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam sank back on the couch after Carly left her house and cried. She cried for several reasons; she was feeling rejected, she was feeling hurt, she was feeling terrible another girl stirred in her what no boy ever could, but worse of all she was feeling humiliated. Sam felt humiliated that Carly seduced her and then left her after Sam begged the girl to make love to her and even shouted out in her passion she loved Carly. Sam knew she did not love Carly and was caught up in the moment when she was about to lose her virginity and thought it was the right thing to say and then the girl gets up and leaves! Sam was humiliated and she hated to feel humiliated. Sam liked Carly and was very attracted to the taller sexy mysterious brunette girl but she made a fool of Sam when she walked out on her and that hurt Sam emotionally. She curled up on the couch and cried in her pain. She tried to convince herself she hated the other girl but knew it was not true. She was still very attracted to her and wanted to still to get to know her. Sam grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and spread it over her and curled up. Her mom would not be home until later Sunday night since one of the jobs the woman worked was on weekends as a waitress on one of the gambling boats that left the bay and stayed out all weekend. She did not have the strength to even go to her room so Sam decided to crash on the couch. She stopped crying very shortly, something she had learned long ago to force herself to do, and wiped her eyes and then yawned and stretched out on the couch. She hated crying…hell she hated to show any emotion at all! She closed her eyes and smiled when she thought of the mean things she was going to tell Carly Shay the next time she saw her_. Fuck her! Just who the hell does that bitch think she is?_ Sam thought as she yawned again and thought about making herself a ham sandwich, but sleep outweighed her hunger and she curled up and fell asleep.

Sam woke with a start when she heard someone knocking at her door. She glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was a little after six thirty. She sat up and stretched and the knock became louder as if someone wanted to break the door down.

"Who the fuck is it?" She yelled as she got up and wrapped the blanket around her body.

"Sam…open the door! It's Carly!" The voice said.

Sam laughed, "Fuck you! If you think you can just walk back in here after what you did…what you tried to do to me then…" Sam was yelling at the closed door and stopped as Carly walked into the house.

Carly smiled sheepishly at the blonde, "You umm…forgot to lock the door."

"What do you want? Haven't you done enough to me already?"

Carly walked past Sam and glanced at her watch and then around the room. The curtains were thin and the windows faced east; not a good sign for some one who would burst into flames when the sun's rays hit her. "Sam…do you have a basement…a room without windows…anything like that?" Carly asked in an almost panicked voice.

Sam shrugged, "Yeah…the basement and the bathrooms. Why?"

Carly grabbed Sam's arm and gently pushed her, "Show me the basement…I…we need to get the before the…so we can talk..."

Sam felt the strength in Carly's arms and was surprised but she stopped herself, "No…I don't know what kind of sick game you are playing with me…but I don't want you here. Get out! Get out of my house! You are no longer welcome here!" Sam yelled and with those last words Carly let go of her and stared at Sam. Sam saw fear in the girl's eyes for the first time.

"NOOO! Sam…No! You…please…you…" Carly did not get to finish before there was a loud pop like the sound of lightening and her front door seemed to expand and contract and then open wide bursting the frame. Sam stared wide eyed as Carly's body seemed to almost float about an inch off the ground and some invisible hand pushed her out the front door and it slammed shut barely hanging on it's hinges.

"What the hell!" Sam exclaimed and heard Carly banging on the door.

"Please, Sam…oh please let me in! The sun is going to be up soon and I don't have time to get home! Please invite me in!"

Sam heard pure panic in the girl's voice. She was confused and dazed and scared of what she just saw and did not want Carly in her house again, but it was Carly's voice that changed her mind. She had no idea what the hell was going on, but she knew fear…pure fear…when she heard it.

"O…o…Ok…you can come in….but you have a lot of explaining to do." Sam muttered.

Carly pushed the door and grabbed Sam's arm hard, "The basement…please, Sam…the basement! I…I will tell you everything…"

Sam winced at the pain in her arm and tried to break free but Carly was too strong. "Ok…gesh…let go, bitch, and I'll show you the basement."

Carly sighed and Sam led her to the basement and followed her down the stairs. Once at the bottom Carly sighed as she looked around the room. There were no windows in the room but it was furnished with a couch, a television, and a well used punching bag hung from the ceiling. Carly looked at Sam and smiled.

"You practice, huh?"

Sam shrugged, "Yeah…I like martial arts…so now explain! What the hell happened up there and…and why did you leave me earlier after…after you tried to rape me?"

Carly laughed, "Rape you…Samantha…I may be a lot of things but I am not rapist. Don't go there…please. I am not going to say you wanted me to…which you did…but I did not try to rape you." Carly looked at her boots, "I…I had to leave before things got…well…out of control."

Sam sat on the couch and smiled, "Yeah…they did that. Look, Carly, I…I guess rape was a strong word to use. I…fuck…I do a lot of things wrong and some of those things can be illegal, but one thing I don't do is lie…so let us be upfront with one another. Deal?"

Carly nodded, "Deal."

Sam took a deep breath, "Ok…damn this is hard…I…I like you…or did…I mean I am attracted to you in a way a girl should not be attracted to another girl…or…well…that is what I have been taught. I…I have nothing against gay people and all…just…damn…I don't know!" Carly sat next to Sam and smiled. Sam blushed and looked away, "I…I said somethings or something I should not have said…I mean…I…when I said I loved you…I…well…I have never felt the way you made me feel. I…I have kissed boys and all but with you I felt…turned on. I guess I said what I did because I thought that was something I was supposed to say before you had…well…before you had sex."

Carly took Sam's hand and smiled again, "Its ok, Sam. I like you that way to and I for one don't believe it is wrong. While I have been involved with both I prefer girls over boys. We can take it slow and if you just want to be friends then we will be friends."

Sam looked into those dark mysterious eyes and smiled, "Well…yeah I would like that but right now I can't help but want to kiss you."

Carly giggled, "Good…I feel the same way." She leaned into Sam and Sam kissed her lips. They kissed for a moment and then Sam pushed her away.

"Whoa! What the fuck happened up there! I mean…shit…my door is all busted and you floated out of the room…that was some freaky shit!"

Carly smiled, "You shouldn't curse so much."

Sam blushed, she did not know why but she liked it that Carly told her not to curse, but that did not erase what she saw. "Carly, my door is busted…in this neighborhood that is not a good thing. It is going to cost a fortune to get fixed on a weekend before my mom gets home Sunday night and well…we don't have the money for that…and then…what the fuck happened upstairs?"

Carly giggled and reached into her back pocket of her jeans and pulled out a thin small wallet. She had stopped carrying purses years ago. She opened the wallet and hand Sam a credit card. "Call and get the door fixed. I should pay for it."

Sam did not argue as he took the card, "Ok…now what happened."

Carly took a deep breath, "Sam…do you watch horror movies?" Sam nodded, "Ever watch vampire movies?" Sam nodded again, "Ok…well think about it. I got into your mind…you fought it which was surprising, mind control is one of my specialties, and I had to get out of the sun, and I was pushed from your house after you revoked your invitation…what does that tell you?"

Sam's eyes grew wide and then she laughed, "Oh…come on, Carly! We promised we would be truthful here. You just told me you are a vampire…well, girl, I don't care how sexy I think you are…I don't believe in monsters!"

Carly giggled, "You…you think I am sexy…awwww…that is sweet." She straightened her face, "But yes, Sam…I am a vampire."

Sam jumped up off the couch and looked down at Carly. "Look…I don't care what people do in their personal lives…I mean if you want to go around believing you are a vampire and even drinking blood and shit like that…well…that's your business. But I am not into that kind of shit. That is just not fucking me."

Carly looked up and smiled, "You should not curse that much…but no I am not some weird chick who plays make believe. I…I am a vampire, Sam. A real life…well…dead…vampire. I was turned when I was seventeen. I was dying of fever and offered the choice and I willingly took it. I…I…" Carly paused and Sam thought she saw a look of sadness in the girl's eyes, "I am real, Sam."

Sam backed away slowly. She did not believe Carly…she couldn't believe Carly. Vampires at not real…right? She flinched as her back hit the punching bag. "I…I…prove it." She said in a challenging tone.

Carly sat on the edge of the couch and sighed. She had only told one other mortal what she was without killing and then feeding on that person. It was not easy then and it was not easy now. She smiled and as she did she allowed her fangs to grow. They came out like a blade of a switchblade knife. Sam jumped. The before Sam could even blink Carly was no longer on the couch and she could feel the brunette girl's warm sexy breath on the back of her neck. Sam shivered and took a step forward before turning around.

"Holy shit…you…you are a vampire!" Sam said in a voice that hurt Carly's heart. A voice of fear, shock, and worse of all…a voice that sounded disgusted.


	8. Chapter 8

Carly stood frozen at the tone of Sam's voice and immediately regretted telling the blonde girl she was attracted to she was a vampire, but she also knew she had no choice. If Cassandra was after Sam to either turn her into one of the undead or to make Sam her human companion Sam needed to know so she could get the hell away…to run as far as she could.

Sam walked backwards and side stepped the punching bag that hung from the ceiling of her basement; she never took her eyes off of Carly. She walked backwards and felt her feet hit the bottom step of the stairs leading back into the main area of the house. Carly giggled against her will at the sight of Sam clutching her own throat as she walked backwards.

"Ok…ummm…well…I guess since the sun is up you need to sleep…or do whatever you have to do. I…umm…I am tired too…yeah that's it I need to sleep too. I…well…'nite." Sam turned and ran up the stairs and Carly heard the door slam shut and then it being locked. She sighed and sat on the couch. _Well at least she did not run away screaming…I have to give her that. _Carly thought as she lay down on the couch and spread a blanket over her. She yawned and was soon asleep. She, as all vampires, did not have to sleep everyday. They could go days without sleeping like a mortal but soon just as a mortal it would take its toll on them. It was not a pretty sight to watch a vampire die due to lack of sleep; plus Carly knew she would need all her strength if she was going to help Sam. Just how she was going to do it was the problem. Carly could only watch over the girl at night and Cassandra enlisted the aid of werewolves who could go out during the day and of course if she had a human servant he or she would not burn to death in the sunlight. They could easily take Sam on the command of their mistress. There was also the problem of Cassandra herself. She, like Carly, was a master vampire and both had powers non master vampires did not have; but Cassandra was stronger than Carly…a lot stronger…and of course she made Carly so that gave her even more control over the brunette as well. Add that to the fact as Mistress of the City, all the vampires in the city would be at her beck and call…well except for herself. _Damn it! Why didn't I stay in New York…or better yet Rome? No…the Council will not let me go back there as punishment for what I did. I still have another two hundred year exile from Rome. Why didn't I listen to Dante? He told me not to come here! And what the hell did Cassandra mean that Sam would destroy many of our kind? That girl has been having crazy visions ever since I first met her!_ Carly thought as she drifted to sleep and her nightmares were full of blood and violence.

Sam ran up the stairs and locked the basement door and ran to the kitchen. She opened drawers and found what she was looking for. A large heavy butcher's knife and a role of duck tape. She then ran to the garage and grabbed a saw and some other tools and ran to her bedroom. Once inside her bedroom she grabbed her cell and dialed Freddie. She looked out the window and saw the sun was up.

"H..hello?" The male voice said on the other end. He just woke up.

"Freddie…its Sam. Get you ass over here now!"

"Sam…what time is it? Holy shit! It is a little after seven. Please don't joke with me this early." Freddie replied.

"Freddie, please…I am asking please get over here now! I…I'm scared Freddie…real scared." Sam said into the phone.

"Ok…be there in about twenty minutes." Freddie hung up the phone and got out of bed. He never heard Sam say she was scared and he heard the fear in her voice. He quickly got dressed.

Sam closed her cell phone and got a wooden baseball bat from her closet and frowned, "Sorry Pete Rose…and dad…but I have to do this." The bat was a gift from her father on the last birthday she had with him before he skipped town without saying good bye. It was autographed by Pete Rose. She took the bat and placed it between the night stand and her bed and sawed off the bottom end. Sam then took the knife and started sharpening the bottom end of the bat to a fine point. When she was done she grabbed some pencils from her small desk and used the duck tape to make a cross and when done with that she sat up in her bed and waited for Freddie to arrive. When Freddie got there she would go into the basement and drive the wooden stake through Carly's heart.

Sam did not have to wait long before she heard Freddie's voice calling out to her.

"In her Freddie! My room!" She replied and Freddie soon walked into Sam's room holding an aluminum baseball bat. The boy saw Sam sitting up in her bed with her back to the headboard and hugging her knees and rocking back in forth.

"Sam, are you ok? What the hell happened in here? What happened to the door? Did someone break in? Did the hurt you? Have you called the police yet?"

Sam shook her head, "No…no one broke in and I am ok so far. Carly broke the door. You remember her, right? The pretty girl from the other night at the club."

Freddie lowered his bat and sat down next to Sam. Sam then did something that Freddie never would have thought his blonde friend would ever do; Sam eased herself to Freddie and wrapped her arms around him and started crying. Sam cried for about ten minutes and Freddie held her tight and knew now was no the time to ask her any questions. After she stopped crying she released herself from the boy and punched him in the shoulder.

"If you tell anyone I just did that I will beat the hell out of you." She said.

Freddie laughed, "I won't…I promise. Now tell me what is going on? How did Carly break the door and where did she run to and why didn't you call the police?"

Sam shrugged, "You are going to think I am crazy…hell I think I am crazy. Carly is locked in my basement…she…she is a vampire…" Sam told Freddie everything that happened, "…and I am going down there and going to hammer this wooden stake in her heart." She said as she lifted the baseball bat and a hammer.

Freddie looked at her like she was crazy, "Sam…stop it! Look at me…let me see your eyes." Sam looked at him with her eyes wide.

"See I am not on drugs…you know I stopped smoking that shit years ago. I swear, Freddie, it's true. If you don't believe me then come with me and see for yourself."

Freddie nodded, "Ok, Sam, I will come with you if you promise me that if I am not convinced she is a vampire you let her go and let me take you to the doctor or…or somewhere."

Sam stood up, "Deal…now come on." She grabbed the bat, the hammer, and her make shift cross and both the girl and the boy walked out of the room and into the basement. Freddie was worried. Very worried. Not that Carly was a vampire but he was worried his best friend had flipped out and maybe…jus maybe…she was on some type of drug. Maybe Carly gave her something like LSD or some other mind altering drug.

They walked slowly down the stairs and when at the bottom they saw Carly asleep on the couch curled up and looking peaceful. Sam brought her finger to her lips signaling Freddie to be quite and gripped the bat tight and started to walk over to the sleeping girl.

Freddie grabbed her arm, "Sam, stop. You promised I could see for myself. If you just kill her now…God I can't believe you are even thinking it…how will I know she is a vampire."

"Oh you would know when she hammers that stake in my heart I would scream and then my skin would melt and I would be all bones in a matter of minutes." Both Freddie and Sam jumped when Carly spoke and they looked at the couch and saw the girl toss off the blanket and sit up. Carly gave Sam a hard look. "I can't believe you told him, Sam! Now you have put is life in danger."

Sam held out the cross made of pencils in front of her, "I will not let you kill him!" She yelled and Carly laughed and her laugh was like musical chimes. Both Sam and Freddie felt hypnotized by that laugh and Sam shook her head and drove Carly from her mind while Freddie smiled at Carly. Sam glanced at the boy and saw his eyes were all pupils and he turned to Sam.

"Please, Sam, drop the bat and the cross. She is not a vampire." The boy said calmly.

Sam stared at him and then she held the cross higher and looked at Carly. "Let him go, bitch! I…I don't know how you did it but let his mind go!"

Carly laughed again, "Really, Sam, put your pencils up. They won't work." She looked at Freddie again and shrugged and the boy fell to his knees gasping for breath.

"What…what just happened. I…I could feel her in my head…like…like she was controlling me." He looked at Carly and then quickly avoided her gaze.

Carly giggled, "Don't worry Freddie…I won't do that to you again."

Sam dropped to Freddie's side and helped him get to his feet. "See I told you. She controlled your mind and tried to do the same to me. She is a vampire."

Freddie stood and shook his head. "Then how come it did not work on you?" he was still not convinced.

"I have wondered the same thing, Freddie." Carly said.

Sam looked at her and then back at Freddie, "I…I don't know. She did last night and tried to at the club the other night…I…I just pushed her from my mind. I don't know how…it just happened. Maybe the bitch can only control one person at a time."

Carly laughed again, "Oh no…trust me, Samantha, I can control a lot more than just one person. I told you it was a specialty of mine. And please…don't call me a bitch." Her stare was cold and it made Sam back up a step.

Sam glared at her. "See Freddie…she does not even deny she is a vampire! The bit…the girl is going to kill us both unless we kill her first." Sam held the cross up again and heard Carly giggle.

Freddie glanced at Carly and the Sam. "If she is a vampire then how come she is not afraid of the cross, Sam?"

Sam shrugged, "I don't know…maybe that is a myth. But I damn sure believe a stake in her heart would kill her. You hold her down and I will do it."

Carly laughed, "First…the cross did not work because it is one you made and it was not blessed by a man of God…any holy symbol will work if it is blessed by a religious leader of that faith. A cross, a symbol of Allah or Mohammad, or even some of the other religions. Now a star of David does not work because it is a symbol of the Jewish race and not an actual holy symbol. Also one had to have faith in their religion for it to work. Just taping some sticks…or in you case pencils…together will not work." Carly sounded as if she was a teacher giving a lecture on class as she looked at Sam. She did not see Freddie reaching under his shirt through the collar. "Now Freddie cannot hold me down since I am much stronger than he is…and you. I have a great deal of physical strength. I am not here to hurt you, Sam, you have to believe that. I am here to…" She stopped and turned to Freddie as the boy said something and held an object in his hand.

"Oh you mean a cross like this. It was given to me when I was christened when I was a baby." He held the silver cross with an image of the crucified Jesus on it and opened his hand to reveal it to Carly.

Carly screamed and covered her eyes as a ray of silver light shot from the cross and into Carly's face. "Put it away! Please…put it away!" Carly almost begged.

"Fuck!" Freddie exclaimed as he tucked the cross back into his shirt, "She…she is a vampire."

"Told you." Sam muttered like a child. "Don't be a fool, Freddie, get the thing back out and keep it out. She is afraid of it and we can kill her."

"Don't! Do not get it back out, Freddie! I will kill you before you hand even gets close to your neck!" Carly said in a voice that did not sound human. She then focused her gaze on the boy, "Take it off and do not let me see it. Keep it hidden and throw it to the top of the stairs."

Freddie obeyed with out hesitation and while he walked to the top of the stairs Carly turned her gaze to Sam. "I am not going to try and control you, Sam. I could but I have not fed and have not had much sleep and controlling you takes to much power…but I warn you…if you do not put that stake and hammer down I will kill Freddie and feed from him as you watch. I am not here to hurt you Sam. I meant what I said…I like you and I am attracted to you as a human girl and not as a vampire. I am here to protect you. You have to trust me…please trust me. Last night with you was no lie when I kissed you. You life is in danger."

Sam gripped the bat and hammer tighter, "But you would kill Freddie? Am I supposed to believe you are one of those good vampires that don't drink human blood and only want to live a normal life?"

Carly laughed, "Oh no…I drink human blood to survive. Other blood does not work. It is like if you needed blood and the doctor gave you animal blood your body would reject it…the same with vampires. As far as being one of those 'good' vampires…well there is no such thing. There are some of us who tolerate and even befriended humans…but we are not good, Sam. Never mistake us for being good…that would only get you killed. Now that is said…I tell you again. I am not here to hurt you or Freddie. I am not here to drink from you…even if your blood smells wonderful…I am here to help you live or try to help you live and to protect you from Cassandra."

Freddie came back down the stairs and walked next to Carly. He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her leg like a slave worshipping his Mistress. Carly smiled and actually reached down stroked the boy's hair gently. Sam swallowed. She was disgusted by the site and also jealous. She wanted to be the one who was being caressed by Carly.

"L…let him go and we will talk. Promise me you will not harm him and I will talk to you."

Carly nodded, "Ok…but you have to promise me that you will not try to hurt me. Don't underestimate me, Samantha. I may not be able to control your mind very easily but I could still kill you very easily. I don't want to…but I will if I have to. And promise me that you will not force me from your home again. It may make me have to leave but I can kill you before I am forced from you house. I of course would die in the sun, but you also would die."

Sam swallowed and gave Carly a fearful look and did not doubt a word the girl said. She nodded, "I…I promise."

Carly smiled and Freddie jumped to his feet and ran next to Sam. He looked at his feet, "You…you said you would not do that again." He muttered.

Carly smiled, "I am sorry…really I am, but you had that damn cross out. Just glad you did not touch me with it. That would have hurt. Now that we are all friends again, let's sit and talk." She sat on the couch and patted the sit next to her as she looked at Sam, "Come and sit next to me Sam…I promise not to bite." She giggled again, "There really is a lot I need to tell you."

Sam shrugged and walked to the couch and sat down. She was afraid but her body felt excitement running through it as she sat close to the beautiful vampire girl. Carly grinned and turned her body seductively to Sam as Freddie sat on the floor. He did not want to get close to the vampire but he was intrigued by her as well. He had a very intelligent mind and wanted to ask her a million questions.

Carly reached out to take Sam's hand but the blonde pulled away and Carly frowned. "I did promise I would not hurt you if you listened…I may be a lot of things but I don't lie."

Sam nodded, "Yeah…but I can listen without you touching me. So who the hell is this Cassandra and why does she want to hurt me?"

Carly smiled, "Oh, my dear, she does not just want to hurt you…she wants to turn you or make you serve her. Just listen and I will tell you all I know…which really is not much."

Sam swallowed her fear and nodded.


	9. Chapter 9

Sam listened to Carly with a wide eyes expression on her face while Freddie seemed fascinated with Carly's story and with the vampire herself. He thought she was the most beautiful girl her ever saw. He had to shake his head several times to focus on the undead girl's words and not on her looks. Sam noticed it to and would give him dirty looks from time to time and Freddie would just grin at her. He did not know if he found her so beautiful and sexy because of her or maybe it was the magical aura around her. He had read novels and saw movies with vampires and according to them vampires could appear more attractive than they were. One thing he did know for sure was the vampire girl was deeply attracted to Sam; that was obvious and so was Sam's attraction to Carly. Undead or not Freddie knew flirtation when he saw it.

"…and she told me she was going to turn you and make you serve her, but I think she has another plan for you. I think she is going to make you her human servant."

Sam gulped and had fear in her eyes, "And…umm…what is a human servant?"

Carly smiled and had her hand on Sam's knee caressing it gently, Sam did not move it. "A human servant is a human who has been marked by a vampire…a master vampire…and he or she serves that vampire for all eternity. They cannot die of old age and appear to remain the same age and have some powers of their own. They can die but they heal very quickly almost like lycanthropes. They can die by normal ways like getting shot but they are hard to kill. They serve a master vampire in every way." Carly looked at Sam, "And I do mean everyway. The vampire feeds on them at times but never kills them."

Sam looked horrified, "You mean…umm…like that crazy guy in Dracula? Renee or Reynolds or what ever the fuck his name is?"

Carly smiled, "Renfro…yeah kind of like him, but not quite. Renfro was a little crazy before Vlad made him a servant and well…it was done against his will and that snapped his mind."

Sam turned and looked at the wall, "Well I sure am not going to eat no fucking bugs!"

Carly giggled. Freddie spoke for the first time since Carly started her story. "Wait…you mean to tell me that Dracula…or Vlad…and Renfro were real? Not just a made up story?"

Carly turned her eyes to Freddie, "Yes he was a real vampire. A powerful one too and a member of the Council of Eight. His mistake was he made the other Council members angry when he told Stoker his story. Of course it was embellished some…well more than some. The Council was mad and had him destroyed. There are some vampires like Vlad who want us to be known to humans…even on the Council…but others prefer us to remain hidden. If it was known we exist then other supernatural creatures like lycanthropes would want to be recognized as well. Now I for one really don't care…much. But you can see the complications if we were outed. People would still fear us and all."

Freddie nodded, "True…but think of it. It vampires and these other creatures were known to the world…think of all you could do. I mean to help. There are so many possibilities for you to help mankind."

Carly laughed, "Freddie, you are adorable but misguided. We don't want to help humans." She sighed, "We are not good, Freddie. I mean for the most part. We need human blood to live. True there could be blood banks for us to get blood but where is the excitement in that? Most vampires love the hunt. It thrills us…almost sexually. Hell it is like sex in a way. It is very intimate. Now I don't feed on just anybody anymore. I…well…I used to but now it is only people who deserve to die like criminals, rapists, child molesters. But I am a rare for my kind. I…I have fed off the innocent in the past and relished it…I am not proud of it and it shames me, but most vampires don't feel the way I do. And then there are some like Cassandra…she was not very stable when she was alive and now after all these years she is worse. She loves to hurt and kill and to make all beings suffer." Carly looked at Sam and frowned, "Trust me…I know first hand how she can be. We may be immortal to an extent but we can feel." Carly took Sam's hand, "We can feel pain and…love…and heart break like any human." Sam looked at her and smiled shyly and Carly smiled back. Freddie noticed the look that passed between the two and got a shiver up his spine. He needed to watch Sam closely and pray she did not fall for Carly.

Freddie cleared his throat, "I can understand that…but if you were known maybe it will stop a great many of you from killing. I mean if you were known you would be under the law and vampires could join the police…ok I am talking a little crazy and rambling but it is something that can be solved with a lot of thought. Just think of…"

"Freddie, enough! Fuck you ideas right now! This is about me right now and not legalizing vampires. Damn it I want to know more." Sam screamed at Freddie and turned back to Carly, "So basically she is going to suck my blood or force me to be her slave?"

Carly smiled, "Well being a human servant is not so much a slave but almost an equal. The vampire has to protect their human from all harm and they form a bond both physically and mentally. They are connected and when one hurts so does the other. It is complicated and most human servants go to the vampire willingly and that makes the bound stronger and most vampires don't abuse their servant…of course Cassandra is not most vampires. She plays by her own rules and she would force her marks on you and a forced servant is…well…think of it as a rape. A rape that lasts for eternity."

Sam nodded, "Well I am not going to be either! Fuck that bitch! She can't take me just like that…I mean…she cannot come out during the day and I can stay home at night and she can't come into my home unless I invite her in. So I will just wait it out until she gets bored." Sam said with confidence.

Carly smiled sadly at Sam, "Yes you could do that but…she has other servants. I don't think she has a human servant because a vampire can only have one while both are alive and a human cannot serve more than one vampire. It takes days to make a human servant…a lot of days. She has to mark you three times and it is spread out over several days. But she has control of other vampires and some of them may have a human servant who can go out during the day. Last I knew of her she only had two master vampires under her control and only a master vampire can have a human servant. Then she has the werewolves under her power. How she did that is beyond me. Lycanthropes and vampires do not get along normally. She must have threatened them or bribed them. I met their pack leader and he was not that strong. I have ran across a few that could kill a very powerful vampire but he was not one of them. I would guess she threatened them. They could come after you even in human form. No we must get you away from here, Sam. Far away and we must do it quickly."

Sam shook her head, "No…I just can't leave. What about my mom? I can't leave her…and if I did and this Cassandra is so damn crazy she would go after my mother to get to me. I can't let her do that. And…well…I want to know what makes me so fucking special! Why me?"

Carly shrugged and looked at Sam with fondness. _ The girl had a lot of courage but she is way outclassed._ Carly thought and then admired the loyalty Sam had for her mother. It had been so long since Carly knew what having a mother was like she forgot the love and bond a mother and daughter could share. "Sam, don't curse...you are much to pretty to use that language. I don't know why she wants you so bad. She mentioned something about you having power and well…you do. I can sense it a great deal. What it is I don't know but you have it. Trust me, baby, I have never met a human who I could not control and very few vampires…even ones older than me. There is something about you. And then…well…Cassandra has premonitions…or claims to…and she said she saw your future and you would destroy a good number of vampires. I don't believe that part…I think she just wants your power to control and as her human servant your power would flow through her like it was her own. She mentioned something about the old ways…I have no clue what they are. I mean there are so many old cultures and old ways out there it could mean anything."

Sam nodded, "Well leaving is not an option. Sorry…I won't. You…you can help me, right? I mean…you are a vampire to."

Carly looked at her feet as her fingers traced over Sam's hand, "I…I can try, baby, but…Cassandra is a lot stronger than me…a great deal stronger than me. She is older than me by a great many years and that means something plus she is a master vampire. I am a master vampire as well and that means we have more power than most but…I…I can't beat her, Sam. I…I am sorry, baby, but I can't."

Sam lifted her arm and ran her fingers through Carly's long black silky hair. She liked the way Carly called her "baby". Carly tilted her head into Sam's hand and made a purring sound. Sam smiled, "It…you sacrificed a lot just warning me didn't you?"

Carly smiled and nodded, "I…whatever happens, Carly…I…I won't forget it. I promise you that." Sam brushed Carly's hair with her hand one more time and stood up. She looked at Freddie, "Freddie…I want you to go home. I…don't talk to me and…and act like you don't even know me. I don't want you to get hurt." She walked to the stairs and turned to Carly, "Carly…you…you have to leave. When the sun goes down…leave and never come back. Leave this city and…go home or wherever you were before you came here. I…you are always welcome in my house and…and I will never revoke my invitation to you…but…please leave." Sam turned and started walking up the stairs.

Freddie stood, "Where are you going?" He shouted.

"To…to get my fucking door fixed and…and buy a fucking gun and get some silver bullets if I can find any!" Sam yelled back down the stairs and both Freddie and Carly caught the sound of her sobbing.

Carly looked at Freddie, "She is a remarkable girl…she has a lot of courage."

Freddie stared at Carly for a moment, "Yeah that she does have…and stupidity as well."

Carly grinned, "You are not leaving are you? You are staying by her side." Freddie nodded, "You could die Freddie…or worse. Cassandra is not a kind being and does not know what mercy is."

Freddie forced a grin, "Well I guess I have a lot of stupidity as well. But I am going to feel better with you by our side."

Carly laughed, "What makes you think I am staying? I know Cassandra…all to well."

Freddie laughed as well, "Because I saw how you look at her. You are staying."

Carly lay down on the couch and pulled the blanket over her. "Well I guess we are all stupid then…stupid and foolish." She sighed, "Well…it has been a long life…maybe I should leave it."

Freddie stood, "How old are you anyway?"

Carly giggled, "Old enough to know better than to try and help two foolish humans and young enough to be reckless enough to help two foolish humans."

Freddie chuckled, "Yeah maybe so. There are things I still want to ask you, Carly…nothing personal, but things that can help us and…well…more about vampires and other supernatural things. That is if you are willing to let me."

Carly sat up and scooted to one side of the couch, "Sure…come up here and let's chat. I promise no biting. You are intelligent, Freddie, I can see it in your eyes. Sam is reckless and you are intelligent…a good team to have. You tell me more about Sam and I will tell you more about what you want to know."

Freddie chuckled and nodded, "Don't underestimate Sam Puckett. She is a lot smarter than people know." He got off the floor and sat net to Carly.

Many hours later Freddie left the basement and found Sam sitting on her bed with her knees drawn up and rocking back and forth. Her eyes were puffy from crying. She looked up at Freddie and smiled.

"Doors fixed." She said as the boy sat on the bed.

"Yeah I saw."

Sam tossed him his cell phone, "Kelly's been calling…a lot. I did not answer it."

"Thanks…umm…Sam…I should go."

Sam nodded, "Yeah…I am going to try and sleep some." She reached under her shirt and pulled out Freddie's crucifix. "I'm going to keep it if it's ok with you."

Freddie nodded, "Please do…it can help. I'll buy another one today. Carly said even this Cassandra lady would not be immune to it."

Sam smiled, "Yeah and neither is she."

"You don't trust her?"

"No…she is a vampire. Do you?"

Freddie shrugged, "I think she is being honest. She…umm…she likes you, Sam…a lot. I saw it in her eyes…and yours."

Sam giggled, "Can you believe the first time I actually am attracted to someone it turns out to be an undead vampire. God my dating life sucks."

Freddie laughed, "Well with you I would not expect anything less. Sam, she told me a lot and I am going home and doing some research on the internet. We'll get you though this. I promise." He started to stand and Sam leaped into his body and hugged him tight.

"Thanks, Freddie…thanks for being my best friend."

Freddie hugged her back, "Thanks for being mine. You know I am not going to leave you, right?"

Sam nodded as tears ran down her cheeks, "Yeah…I wish you would through. Don't tell Kelly anything. I kind of like her and don't want her to get hurt."

Freddie gently pried Sam lose of him and chuckled, "Like she would believe me."

Sam laughed and let the boy go. When Freddie left the house Sam placed the cross on the outside of her shirt and curled up in bed hoping she could sleep some. She felt a little at ease with the cross showing. After all she did have a vampire sleeping in her basement.


	10. Chapter 10

Sam woke from her dreamless sleep by someone shaking her awake. She glanced at the clock first and saw it was a little after nine. She then sat up quickly expecting her mother to be standing over her getting ready to yell at her about oversleeping and being late for school. What she saw instead were the beautiful dark haunting eyes and lovely face of Carly. Sam smiled and gave a little squeak as she stretched. Carly smiled back at her and reached out and brushed the girl's long blonde hair from her face.

"Did you sleep well, Sam?" Carly asked and Sam nodded with another smile. Carly's hand dropped from Sam's hair and caressed her cheek and Sam closed her eyes and gave a little moan and the suddenly her eyes flew open and she backed against the head board of the bed. Her hand went to her chest searching for the cross but the chain twisted as she was sleeping and the cross hung down her back. Sam fumbled with the chain trying to twist the crucifix around to her front.

"Please don't, Sam. Please don't use that on me. I…I am not going to hurt you. I promise you. I have been watching you sleep for a while and if I wanted you I could have taken you while you were asleep." Carly said sadly and Sam dropped her hands and shrugged. She figured Carly was right.

Carly smiled, "Are you ok?"

Sam laughed, "Am I ok? That is a fucked up question don't you think? I mean…shit…according to you I have a very strong vampire out to get me for fuck knows why and then I have another vampire watching me sleep…one I am very attracted to by the way…and you ask if I am ok?"

Carly chuckled, "Yeah silly question. Are you really attracted to me?"

Sam blushed, "I…well…look…maybe it is that vampire mumbo jumbo shit you are using on me…but yeah I am. But until I know which it is I am not going there."

Carly smiled, "Ok…but I am not using anything on you, Sam. I promise you that." Carly stood up and walked to the door, "I have dinner almost ready so I hope you are hungry. And don't curse." She walked from the room and Sam got out of bed and tucked the cross in her shirt. She was not going to take chances. She walked into the kitchen and smelled something wonderful cooking and saw Carly standing over the stove stirring something in a pan. Sam saw she had changed clothes and was wearing black jeans and a read and black plaid top that looked like a baby doll dress. She noticed she wore her black boots. Sam thought those boots were sexy.

"Smells good…I did not know vampires knew how to cook?" Sam said with a grin. Carly turned and stuck out her tongue.

"For your information, Samantha, I am a great cook. I never got a chance to learn when I was ali…umm…younger. So over the years I learned."

Sam sat at the table, "So what are we having anyway?"

Carly turned back around, "Seafood…I hope you like it. I went to the market this evening and got some good shrimp and made shrimp scampi and pasta and also some fresh sea bass I seasoned and wrapped in seaweed and baked. It is very good. Trust me."

Sam sniffed, "Smells good. But doesn't shrimp scampi have a lot of garlic in it?"

Carly shrugged, "Yeah…why? Do you not like garlic?"

"No I love it but aren't vampires like afraid of garlic or something?"

Carly laughed. Sam liked her laugh, "No silly. Just because Vlad…your famous Dracula…was allergic to it does not mean we all are. He was allergic to garlic before he became a vampire."

Sam blushed, "Oh…sorry. Was…was he the first…the first vampire?"

Carly emptied the scampi in a bowl and poured some onto a plate that had pasta on it and removed the sea bass from the oven and placed one on the plate. She then placed the plate in front of Sam and smiled. "Eat...it is good. After you eat we will talk and I will answer your questions. I…well…I think you should know as much as possible about us to protect yourself."

Sam grinned, "Are you not going to eat?"

Carly smiled, "I can't taste food, Sam. I can eat it but I cannot taste it and it does not nourish me. I…I miss that among other things." Carly looked down, "Plus I…I already 'ate' tonight."

Sam looked up with a mouth full of pasta, "Hope it was not anyone I know."

Carly looked at her and laughed, "You…you took that very well…"

Sam shrugged, "Trust me I am freaking out on the inside."

Carly smiled, "I was not in much of a mood to look tonight so I actually broke into a blood bank at a hospital. It was not pleasant…too cold."

Sam finished her meal without another word. When she was done she pushed the plate away and grinned, "Well vampire or not…you are a great cook."

"Thank you. Now you have to do the dishes."

Sam laughed and nodded, "Ok…and then we talk…ok."

Carly stood up and nodded. "Agreed…I did take the liberty of getting some of my clothes and bringing them over her…I…well…I was hoping to stay here for a while or you could stay with me. I think it would be best for you."

Sam got up and cleared the table, "I…I don't know. My mom will be home tomorrow night and how do I explain it to her. 'Hey mom, we have a vampire in the basement so be quite during the day while she sleeps'. I don't think that would go over well with her. She would think I was smoking pot again."

Carly laughed and helped Sam clean the kitchen, "Well I could you know…vamp her. She would never know."

Sam dropped a plate but it did not break and grabbed Carly's arm. She noticed the girl's skin was warm and not cold as it had been. Sam assumed it must be because the vampire fed earlier. "No…please, Carly, please don't hurt my mother. Promise me that. You…you can do me and drink my blood before you hurt her…please." Sam begged and Carly saw the girl had tears in her eyes. She reached up and caressed Sam's cheek. Sam flinched but did not back away.

"Sam…I would never hurt anyone you love. Please know that. I would no more hurt your mother than you. When I say vamp her it is just an expression for using my mind to make her believe I was just a friend staying with you for a few days. She would never thank anything else. I promise…I hate to do it but I need to be able to protect you. It does not hurt."

Sam nodded and then smiled, "So umm…could you make her believe other things."

Carly nodded and gave her a curious look, "Yes…what did you have in mind?"

Sam grinned, "Well you could make her believe I clean my room everyday and did all my homework…all kinds of neat shit."

Carly gave Sam a disapproving look. "Now now, Samantha, I don't think so."

Sam frowned and turned to the sink, "Great…I have a girlfriend who is a vampire and she had to have morals…just my luck." She muttered.

Carly laughed and then stopped suddenly, "Sam…you…you said girlfriend." She was looking and smiling at Sam with a glow in her eyes.

Sam blushed, "I…I meant…well…you know…a girl who is a friend. I…I didn't mean it any other way." Sam glanced up at Carly, "Stop looking at me like that! God you would think for this big bad vampire girl who has been around for…just how long have you been around for anyway?" Sam turned back to the sink and started scrubbing the pan harder, "Anyway…you act like a teenage girl with a crush…gesh…you would think you would be tougher than that."

Carly huffed, "It has been a long time since I have been able to act like a teenage girl…so please let me have my moments. I told you there were things I missed and acting like this is one of them."

Sam laughed and they finished the dishes and walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Sam turned to Carly and cleared her throat.

"Ok…I asked you if Dracula was the first…was he?"

Carly shook her head, "No he was not even close. He was famous because of Stoker and because…well…he was pretty ruthless. The first goes back a lot further than him. Cassandra is older than Vlad was. Only the ancients know the history of the first but it is rumored that Lilith was the first and the mother of us all."

"Who is Lilith?"

Carly smiled, "Don't go to church much huh? Well not all churches believe in Lilith anyway. She was supposedly Adam's first wife…before Eve. But she was evil and refused to submit to Adam since they were created at the same time. She left and God cursed her and then created Eve. That curse…as some tell us…was the curse of being a vampire. There are a lot of stories about her in other religions and in all of them she is an evil being. The ancient Persians believed in her and that she drank the blood of babies and the Jewish believe she also drinks from adults. I could go on a lot about her in almost every culture from the Greeks to the Romans."

Sam nodded, "So…Adam and Eve did exist and where the first people?"

Carly laughed, "Sam…I don't know…they were way before my time. I was just telling you what I knew about the first vampire. I am not going to discuss religion. There are some among us who still believe in the Greek and Roman Gods. They believe that the One true God and his Son Jesus drove them away or made the ones who tried to stand against Him into demons and the ones who stood by him as angels. Who knows?"

Sam was getting very interested, "So…you believe in God?"

Carly took the girl's hand and Sam let her, "Yes…I…I do. I believe in God. I once believed in other gods as well. I…I believe that when God had his Son crucified on that cross that one act of sacrifice destroyed the other gods. All vampires believe in God, Sam. We know what the cross and other holy symbols can do to us. Either you call him God, Jehovah, Allah, Zeus, or Jupiter he is the same. Yes I believe in him…as much as I wish I didn't"

Sam felt Carly caressing her hand and liked it but she tried not to let it show. She wanted to kiss the girl but her mind was swimming with questions. "So…if you believe in God then you can be forgiven…I mean…if you got killed you could still go to heaven. You…well…you do not seem like something evil, Carly. You…you are trying to help me and all."

Carly smiled sadly and brought Sam's hand to her lips and kissed it, "Oh, Sam, I wish it was that easy. No…I…I am not good, Sam. I told you there is no such thing as a good vampire. Yes some of us can control our blood lust…it is harder for the newer ones. Some of us don't go around biting just anybody we see, but it is because we control it and we have mercy. Yes, Samantha, we can show mercy as well as cruelty. But please do not mistake me for being good. I…I have done things, Sam, terrible things in the past. Things I regret now but at the time I thrilled in them…I relished the things I did. I was young and very cruel, Sam. I was so cruel at one time. And we are cursed. Never think of it as a gift. Some humans get fooled into thinking it is a gift and voluntarily want to become one of us. I…I did, baby; I did a long time ago. I was scared to die. I was seventeen and dying of fever and Cassandra came to me." Sam noticed Carly had tears in her eyes. She was not crying but her eyes were watery. Sam did not know what possessed her but she leaned forward and gently kissed Carly's lips and pulled back for the girl to continue.

Carly smiled and continued her story, "I…I am old Sam. I never wanted you to know how old. I was afraid you would be disgusted with me so I did not want to tell you…but…I…I like you more than just a friend. I want to be your lover and you have a right to know." Sam blushed and nodded for Carly to continue, "My true name is Julia Caesaris of the house of the Julii an ancient and powerful family in Rome. My mother was named Cornelia Cinna of the house of Cornelii and my father's name was…his name…" Carly swallowed hard, "My father was Gaius Julius Caesar." Carly paused and looked at Sam. Sam pulled her hand away from Carly and looked shocked.

"Are…are you serious?" Carly nodded, "Fuck…even I know who the hell that is…you mean…you are over…lets see…you are over two fucking thousand years old…shit."

Carly now had a few tears running down her cheeks, "That…that is why I did not want not tell you…you…you…I…oh, Sam…please…please don't be disgusted with me."

Sam laughed and grabbed Carly's hand and kissed it, "Carly…I am not disgusted with you…I promise. Yeah I am shocked…real shocked…but damn…I…I thought maybe you were like fifty or sixty years old and…well…I thought you were some poor girl who got bit by a vampire and turned into one."

Carly wiped her eyes with the hand Sam was not holding and giggled, "It…it does not work that way. Just getting bit I mean. It is more complicated to be made into a vampire. If you got bit and lived you would want to purify the wound with holy water or that vampire would be able to control you to a great degree…you would be like his or her slave. But…you…you are not disgusted with me?"

Sam laughed again, "No…I mean I am still shocked…but hell I accepted you are a vampire…for the most part so what if you are that old…you can help me with my history homework."

Carly laughed, "Deal…I will."

Sam scooted closer to Carly and the vampire put her hand gently on Sam's thigh. Sam felt a surge of passion flow through her and knew it had nothing to do with the supernatural. This was pure lust. "Do…do you want me to finish?" Carly asked and Sam nodded and even pulled Carly's head into her shoulder. Carly smiled as she laid her head on Sam's shoulder. It had been a very long time since a girl or guy took the dominant role with her and she liked it. It made her feel like she did when she was…well…human. "My father of course was never home much…as I am sure you either read about…well maybe heard about. I don't think you are much of a reader." Carly giggled when Sam pinched her arm, "Anyway I was in love, Sam, with a girl named Octavia…she was my second cousin and sister of Octavian…who later changed his name to Augustus Caesar the first Emperor of Rome. I loved her so much and she loved me…then when I was fourteen my father married me to Pompey…Pompey the Great to secure a political alliance with him. I…I was called the most beautiful girl in Rome by the people and Pompey doted on me. He loved me but he was over twice my age and I loathed him. I hated him because he took me away from Octavia. When I was sixteen I became pregnant and I went into premature labor when I was seventeen and the baby was still born…a son. I grew sick and got a fever and was dying, Sam. I was so afraid of death and Cassandra came to me one night. She told me how she loved beauty and offered me life. I took it, Samantha, I took it willingly because I was a coward and she cursed me. I found out what it cost me and I hated myself and almost everyone. Cassandra had another body to replace mine for the funeral. I…well the body was cremated and buried on the Field of Mars…a great honor. I found out that Cassandra did like beauty but not to love but to collect. She collected me and others for our beauty…men and woman. I loved only one person, Sam, and that was Octavia and…and I killed her years latter even as I loved her. I murdered her, Sam, because she rejected my love. I knew then I was truly cursed and after that I did horrible things. Terrible things, Sam…I became a nightmare to Rome. I killed for the pleasure of it and not just to feed. Cassandra taught me things. I was her best pupil and she taught me evil things and worse of all she taught me to hate." Carly had tears running down her cheeks and Sam kissed them away.

"I…Carly…you don't have to do this. You…you can stop." Sam said as she kissed a tear away.

Carly shook her head, "No…you need to hear it, Sam. You need to know what I am and what you may have to face in Cassandra. If…if it is to much for you I will stop." Carly looked up at Sam and the blonde shook her head and Carly knew to continue.

"When my father was butchered by those people I wanted revenge. I…I loved my father, Sam. He was a good man and when he was home her doted on me and they murdered him like a dog. A great man who saved Rome and who the people adored butchered like an animal. I wanted revenge…even before I did what I did to Octavia I learned through Cassandra to hate with my father's death. History tells that Brutus killed himself after his army was defeated by Mark Antony and Octavian's legions, but that was not true. The coward was hiding in the mountains and I found him and I…I tortured him for days, Sam. He screamed and begged until I bit out his tongue. After I killed him…I did not even drink his blood. His blood disgusted me and sickened me…I finally killed him and I still was not satisfied. My father loved him, Sam. He loved Brutus as a son and he murdered my father! Cassandra knew of an ancient power. She…she knew an ancient way to animate a corpse. To bring back the dead as a zombie…yes it is true…there are people who know the rituals and have the power to do so and they are human…but Cassandra knew the rituals and had the power herself. She…she brought him back to life. I learned that night zombies could suffer just as the living as I again tortured his rotten corpse." Carly swallowed hard, "What I did, baby, was terrible. To animate a corpse for pure torture is against the laws of even vampires. It took years for them to find out what I did…I later discovered Cassandra told the Master of the city as punishment for some small offense I committed against her. The master punished me for what I did and also for other crimes such as the random killings of innocent people for pleasure and not just to feed. The Master of Rome is very ancient and does not like his city to have a rogue vampire like I was killing people. He were harsh but not as harsh as Cassandra was with hers. After my punishment I was exiled from Rome…the city of my birth and my death…for over two thousand years. I am still serving that exile. I hated everyone and everything for what I did to Octavia and the master's ruling. I…I was an animal, Sam, a beast and Cassandra relished in my hate. She encouraged it and was pleased when I would kill for pleasure and not to feed. I…I was a butcher, Sam…I…I killed entire family's in one night and was a glutton on their blood. But regardless of what I became I…I was nothing compared to the cruelty of Cassandra. She taught me how to be evil and how to embrace our curse. It is a curse, baby. You asked if I could be redeemed…I…we can't, Sam. If I could be redeemed I would walk into the sun tomorrow and burn for that chance. But I can't. Our souls are waiting for us in a special place in limbo and once a vampire is destroyed the small essence of our soul we keep to survive joins with the soul in limbo and then we are taken to a special place in hell to suffer torment above anything others suffer. We are cursed by God, Samantha…and for us there is not redemption."

Carly sat up and saw the look on Sam's face and was glad it was not fear or even disgust…it was disbelief. Not in her story but in the vampire her self. Sam could not believe Carly had been a monster. Not the girl who swore to protect her and the girl who cooked that wonderful meal for her and not the girl she teased with and joked with over dinner. "I…I don't believe you, Carly…about being redeemed. You changed…I don't know why or when…but I know you have. You are not a monster like Cassandra. I…you can't be. You even said you only killed…killed people who deserved it. And…and why try and protect me…and you promised you would not hurt Freddie or my mother…a monster would not do that."

Carly sighed, "I…I wish it was true. Yes I have changed but only after years and years. I…it has only been the past hundred years or so that I changed. I…I guess after so much self torment it gets old." Carly chuckled. "I…I don't know, Sam. I don't have an answer to why. I…I just did. As for helping you…I am selfish there as well. I…I like you and want to be your lover so that is why I want to keep you alive. If it was anyone else…even your friend Freddie, I would let Cassandra have them. No, Sam, we cannot be redeemed. That is why even the vampire who hates his existence with a passion will fight you to the death to not be destroyed. We know what awaits us."


	11. Chapter 11

Sam gently pushed Carly away from her and stood up and then walked to the kitchen. When she got halfway there she turned to face the vampire girl who was wiping tears from her cheeks. Sam smiled gently.

"You are wrong, Carly. Wrong about yourself. If you just wanted me for a piece of ass you would have used your magic trick and made me have sex with you."

Carly smiled, "I…I never would do that to you…I never would do that to anybody."

Sam grinned, "Yeah I know. I get the impression that you never had to use your mumbo jumbo to get laid. You are too beautiful for that. But I think I am more to you than just a potential lover."

Carly stood and walked…almost glided…next to Sam and ran her fingers in the girl's long blonde hair. Sam did not flinch this time but did give a small whimper but it was not fear. "Yes, Samantha, you do mean more to me than that. There is something about you…something I can sense and Cassandra wants it as well. She won't be as kind as me, Sam. You have to understand that. And…well there is more to you for me than that also. I…I like you a great deal."

Sam backed away, "I am getting a drink and then I want you to tell me who this Cassandra is…you mentioned something this morning about power…I still don't understand." Carly nodded and moved back to the couch to wait for Sam.

Sam sat back down and sipped her Peppy Cola and turned her body to Carly. The brunette girl took the hint and snuggled close to Sam and lay down and placed her head in Sam's lap. Sam started running her fingers through Carly's silky hair without even thinking. It felt so natural to do it and if felt good. Both girls felt as if they had been long time friends or even lovers.

Carly positioned her head so she was looking up at the blonde human girl and smiled, "Sam, what do you know of Greek Mythology?"

Sam shrugged, "Nothing much, why?"

Carly closed her eyes and let out a small moan as Sam continued to run her fingers through her hair. She liked it. She liked being able to give up her in control to this girl. It had been a long time since she was able to feel like this. She had lovers after she became a vampire; both male and female and both human and vampire, but besides Octavia Carly was always in control. She could sense that with Sam and she knew she would not be in control if they became lovers. Carly could sense power in Sam; a power that the blonde girl would never let anyone dominant her willingly even if that person was stronger than her. That power thrilled Carly sexually and emotionally. Carly knew she found a girl she could surrender herself willingly and sexually to as she had with Octavia.

Carly had to focus her emotions and blushed at the thoughts she was having, "I…umm…whew…I…I need to sit up." Carly said as she sat up and scooted away from Sam.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked.

Carly blushed deeper, "I…I can't damn focus with you doing what you are doing to me." Carly said quickly.

Sam shrugged, "I was not doing anything…but sorry."

Carly grinned, "Yes you were…you just did not know it and that is part of why I need to sit over here and you over there."

Sam shook her head still not understanding, "Ok…anyway why do you want to know if I know anything about Greek Mythology? I thought you were going to tell me about this Cassandra bitch. I mean…you…well…you keep telling me she is older than you and has more power and stuff."

Carly took a deep breath to release the tension that had built up in her. She felt the urge of her fangs and knew it was because of her sexual excitement and not hunger. "Well it would help explain Cassandra. Yes she is older than me but age only plays a part in who is stronger in the vampire world. There are some younger than me that have more power and there are some older that I have more power over. It is not all about age. I…well…it is hard to explain and understand. Cassandra is not stronger than me because she is older…it helps…but she is stronger than me because she made me for one and even if she had not she would still be stronger. She is a master vampire and so am I. I used to think that came with age but that is not so. That also comes with power. There are some older than me that are not and never will be master vampires. I personally think it is willpower. But anyway…Cassandra is older than me by over a thousand years. She was born in the city of Troy…she is the daughter of king Priam…you know the Trojan War." Carly looked at Sam and Sam gave a long whistle.

"Fuck…I…I thought that was just make believe?"

Carly smiled, "No, baby, it is true. Yes there was a lot made up and all by Homer, but it did happen. Well Cassandra was renowned for her beauty and she is beautiful, Sam. Very beautiful…her beauty drew the attention of the god Apollo and he blessed her with the gift of prophecy but Cassandra was young…she was only twelve…and she rejected the god's love. Well of course Apollo was angry and he cursed her. He told her that while she has the gift of prophecy…and other powers…no one would believe her. And that was true. No one did. She predicted the fall of her city and the death of her father. She loved her city and her father a great deal…maybe too much…and when everyone thought she was crazy something in her snapped and she became…well…unstable. The old story tells that the war lasted ten years but it didn't. According to Cassandra it only lasted about two years." Carly chuckled, "Damn how many times I had to listen to that story when I served her…she would make us listen to it over and over. Anyway, after the city fell with the Trojan Horse…which she told her father not to bring into the city but of course no one believed her…she was brutally ganged rapped while she took refuge in the temple of Athena. She was only fourteen. That drove her over the edge I think. Well the myth says she was taken back to Greece as king Agamemnon's sex slave and killed there by Agamemnon's wife…along with him. But that is not true. She was taken back to Greece as a slave but a vampire fell in love with her and turned her. She wanted to become a vampire and when she did she killed Agamemnon, his wife, his children, anyone else in the place she could find, and even the vampire who made her. To kill your maker you have to be powerful and she is. She has more power than any vampire I have met. Even most of the Council fear her and they are old…very old and strong. She could have been on the council but she did not want it and is far too unstable to be on there anyway. Some of her power she had before she became a vampire. Her prophecy and the ability to animate the dead into zombies are two that I know of. She boasts more but I don't know if that is true. She is cruel, Sam. And she wants you."

Sam looked pale, "But why? Why does she want me…I mean fuck…I am no one special. I am just an average seventeen year old kid trying to get by in life. I…I don't understand."

Carly smiled and scooted closer to Sam, "You are anything but average, Sam. Even if you did not have power you are not average. I…I think you are a remarkable lovely girl." Carly leaned in and kissed Sam on the lips gently and Sam gave a soft moan as the girl pulled away and her lips followed Carly's wanting more. She blushed deeply and cleared her throat.

"You…umm…whew…you keep saying I have this power…but what! I…I don't feel anything or shit like that. Fuck, Carly…what is happening to me?"

Carly frowned, "Don't curse…I…I don't know but I can feel it, Sam. Other vampires can feel it. Apparently even lycanthropes can feel it. The other night in the woods when I told you a wolf was hunting…it was a werewolf. I chased it away but he could since your power. I…I don't know yet but damn it…I am going to find out. Cassandra mentioned you had power and were going to kill a lot of vampires…I don't know what she saw was true but again she was cursed that no one would believe her prophecies. Damn it! I wish I just fucking knew!"

Sam smiled, "Don't curse." Carly chuckled and Sam's smile faded, "I…what do we do, Carly. I mean if she is stronger than you…what do we do? I…I don't want to die." Sam's eyes became watery, "I don't want Freddie or my mom to get hurt because of me…and…I…I don't want you to get hurt because of me. Maybe…maybe we should run."

Carly got close to Sam again and snuggled to the blonde and laid her head on the girl's shoulder as she took her hand. "No…running won't help. I know I said you should but she would find you. I…I know someone who may help us…help you. But I have to find him and well…he does not like me too much."

Sam squeezed Carly's hand gently, "Who…another vampire?"

Carly smiled, "No…he is a human. He…he is a hunter."

Sam giggled, "And how is a man who hunts going to help us?"

Carly looked up into Sam's blue green eyes, "He is a vampire hunter. One of the…no the best around today…Henry is well…Henry. He may help you. He owes Cassandra a debt of revenge anyway and from what I hear he has been looking for her for years…and me too."

Sam kissed the top of Carly's head, "Why you?"

Carly chuckled again, "Well he is a vampire hunter and well…Cassandra hurt him and I helped. Henry does not like being hurt."

"So he would help because me…a human girl…is in trouble with vampires? He must be noble or something if he would help me."

Carly laughed, "Noble...Henry. No Sam, he is a hired killer. He hunts for two things. Money and revenge…I have enough money to hire him but he would do it anyway I think for the revenge. I just have to find out where he is. It won't be hard…all I have to do is follow the trail of dead vampires and it will lead us to him. I…I want you to come with me, Sam."

Sam nodded, "Ok…but why?"

"Because if you are with me he may not try to kill me."

"Are you afraid of him?"

Carly shook her head, "Afraid…no not really but if there is any human I should be scared of it is him. Sam, we have a nickname for him…we call him The Reaper."

Sam sighed and thought for a moment, "Ok…I guess I would be glad to meet another human that knows about vampires and other monsters I did not believe in. Are there a lot of them?"

Carly released herself from Sam and sat up and looked at the blonde. "Am I…do you think I am a monster, Sam?" She sounded hurt.

Sam shook her head, "No…I did not mean it that way…I…I don't know, Carly…I mean…this is a big shock to me. I…I want to believe you are not a monster. I want to believe it so much but…but I don't know what to believe anymore."

Carly smiled sadly, "I…I understand, Sam. It makes me sad and it hurts but I understand. There are a few that know we exist, yes. Even some in the Catholic Church know of our existence. Most hunters work for them…but no all. There are some like Henry who freelance."

Sam nodded, "Well let's find this Henry guy and go see him. If he can help us then I would like to meet him."

Carly nodded with a grin. She liked that Sam, while afraid, was showing courage. Hell she liked Sam period. "Yes…I will find him. The problem is I can't ask any vampires around here. They all are bound to Cassandra since she is the Master of the City."

Sam frowned, "Can't you call one…someone you know…a friend."

Carly laughed, "Sam, I know vampires that I am found of and even like but we don't have 'friends' who are other vampires. We are not werewolves who have packs and hunt together and have a special bond with there pack. We are solitary creatures and prefer to be alone for the most part. Yes we have covenants but when we umm…hunt so to speak…we prefer to do so alone. We don't like to share. But I know one who may know Henry's whereabouts. I just have to get in touch with him."

Sam shrugged, "Well call him then."

Carly giggled, "Sorry…it just that most of us are not into modern technology. Only the younger ones like the modern things. No, Dante would not have a phone…but I can get in touch with him…we are…umm…bound in a way."

"What do you mean…'bound'?"

Carly gave Sam an embarrassed look, "We were both made by Cassandra and well…we were lovers at one time. That means I can try and contact him mentally."

Sam blushed and turned her head. She felt jealous of Carly contacting this Dante person…thing…monster…and she did not like the feeling. She stood up quickly, "Then do you trick and ask your boyfriend. I am going to take a shower." Sam snapped and walked away.

"Sam…please…comeback. He is not my boyfriend. Sam, please don't act this way." Carly called after the blonde but Sam ignored her. Carly sighed and closed her eyes and focused. She had never tried this over such a distance and hoped it worked. She concentrated on Dante. His looks, his face, his scent, his mind, and to her shame his sexual appetite. She did not like to focus on him like that anymore but it helped her over such a great distance. "Dante…Dante." Carly whispered and as she focused she felt herself get sexually aroused. She did not want to feel this way about him but it was part of the bond and the way the two had been linked. She whispered his name again and suddenly her mind was filled with images of the very handsome vampire naked and her lying down while he thrust in her deep and hard. Carly actually felt each blissful thrust and moaned aloud in pleasure. With her eyes closed she saw Dante's perfect body tense and his muscles rippling as he made love to her…no they never made love it was fucking. She could not explain it any other way. Her body felt him fucking her and she clinched the arm of the sofa and let out a loud gasp of pleasure. She felt herself getting very aroused and the wetness between her legs. She moaned again and her body actually jerked as his image in her mind thrust deep into her. "Ohh…no…please…stop…" Carly gasped aloud.

"Why, Mon Cheri, you always liked it this way." The voice in her mind said and it was filled with lust. "You do not want me to stop…I can fill your passion." Dante said and his image thrust harder into Carly. Carly cried out in pleasure and her hands ran over her body from her crotch to her breasts. She massaged her own nipples through her shirt as Dante mentally fucked her.

"No…no…I…I don't want this." She said almost begging and she felt ashamed that her body was responding to the vampire's mental rape.

"Yes…yes, Julia, you crave it. I can sense your desire, Mon Belle; I can feel your body. Hush, Julia, and let the passion take you. You used to crave the la petite mort and beg for it over and over again with me."

Carly could feel it and she was disgusted by her feelings. She focused on why she contacted Dante and not the pleasure her body was feeling by the mental fucking she was receiving. "No! No! Stop!" Her mind blasted her power and the image of Dante naked and on top of her thrusting inside of her went flying off her.

"I said no, Dante! I am not your lover anymore!" Carly screamed with her mind. "If you ever do that to me again I promise I will not just destroy you but I will make you suffer for days first! You have seen me at my worse, Dante, and you know I have the power to do it and I will do it!" If Sam could have heard the sound of Carly's voice that echoed in Dante's mind she would have thought twice her belief Carly was not a monster. The mental voice was not a sound a human or even something good would or even could make. It sounded like a sound heard only in the deepest pits of hell.

"I…please, Julia, I…I…I just wanted you to know I still lusted for you. I…I missed you and I…please I am sorry for what I did. Please forgive me." Dante begged as a little boy would beg not to be punished by his parents.

Carly, with her eyes still closed, sat up on the couch. "Just shut up and listen to me. I need to know where Henry is."

"The…the Reaper? Why, Julia, why you want to know? Don't go after him, Mon Cheri, he will kill you." Dante sounded worried and Carly almost felt like forgiving him for what he did…almost.

"Just tell me if you know where he is!" Carly screamed mentally. "I know you fear him and try to keep track of his whereabouts."

"You are damn right I fear him, Julia, and you should to. Just last month he killed the Master of Dallas…they say it was not pretty. He…he used a flamethrower and burned not just the Master but nine or ten other vampires in the covenant. He is not to be taken lightly, Julia."

Carly was getting annoyed. She could tell that Dante knew where Thomas was. "Just tell me, Dante!" She screamed in his mind.

"Alright…he is in Los Vegas...most likely gambling away his money he got for the murders he did in Dallas."

Carly laughed aloud, "No…Henry has more restraint than that. Where in Los Vegas? I know you have spies on him or know ones who do."

"Don't go after him, Julia, please…I know you feel you owe him but don't hunt him. He is not worth it. He is not worth your life."

Carly grinned and Dane could sense her smiling, "Oh, Dante, you think I could not take him?" She teased.

She felt the male vampire sigh, "No…you could kill him but at what cost, Mon Cheri? He would die but you would not walk away unscarred. I would hate to see your beauty ruined."

Carly smiled, "Well rest assured, Dante, I am not going to hunt him. I need his help."

Carly could feel Dante's shock go through her like a bolt of electricity. "Help…his help…why, Julia, what have you gotten yourself into? It's the girl isn't it? The human girl you went to meet?"

"Yes, Dante, it is her…and the trouble is Cassandra."

There was along pause and Carly felt the fear of the other vampire in her mind. It was almost so overwhelming she actually started to feel more afraid than she already was.

The pause lasted to several long seconds, "I…I cannot help you, Julia…I wish I could…but not with her."

Carly took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I know, Dante, and I would never ask it of you with her involved. Give me Henry's location in Vegas."

Dante gave her a name and even a room number of a hotel in the city. "Be careful, Mon Cheri, please be careful. And you said I was reckless."

Carly laughed and opened her eyes to release her mind from Dante's. She sat on the sofa and squirmed a little. Her panties where still wet from what he did to her and the images he put into her head. She smiled and wished she could have hated the male vampire but she could not. They had shared some wonderful and blissful times together in and out of bed and they had shared some terrible torments from Cassandra. They were bound mentally whether Carly wanted it or not. Her thoughts turned to Henry as she waited for Sam to get out of the shower.

She was a little afraid of the human even if she hated to admit it especially after she heard about his executions in Dallas. Staking a vampire was one thing but to use a flamethrower was sadistic and on a master vampire who was a master of a city at that. Carly did not know the vampire in question but she knew he had to be powerful to control Dallas. And Henry burned others at the same time. Carly shook her head, and with a flamethrower. That was just cruel. Of the few things a vampire feared fire was on top on the list. A vampire did not just burn…they went up like a match. Once the flames started it was almost impossible to put out and after the deed was done there was nothing left but ash. No bones, no teeth, no nothing but ash. Carly shivered and gave a slight jump as Sam entered the room. She looked at the blonde and smiled. Sam gave her a fake smile back and sat on the other end of the couch. All the girl was wearing was a long tee shirt and maybe panties. Carly could tell she did not have on a bra. While her wet hair was combed she did not have on makeup and Carly knew the girl did not need it. She was beautiful at being natural.

"So…did Mr. Undead Boyfriend know where this Henry guy was?" Sam said harshly.

Carly let the remark go, "Yes…he is in Los Vegas."

Sam smiled, "Cool…I can be ready to go in about ten minutes. Maybe we could do a little gambling."

Carly chuckled, "Sam…you are only seventeen and my current ID has me listed at eighteen. I don't think we can get into a casino."

Sam smiled mischievously, "Well…you could do you thing and poof in we go."

Carly laughed, "No, Samantha, I don't think so."

Sam frowned, "Fuck…for a vampire who drinks people's blood you sure have some high morals. If we are going to be friends I need to teach you a few things"

Carly picked up on the phrase "friends" and felt her undead heart skip a beat. "Wow…I went from girlfriend to friend in less than an hour."

Sam turned her head so Carly could not see her face, "I don't date people who are dating someone else…especially since that someone else could kill me and drain my body of it's blood."

Carly eased herself closer to Sam, "Sam…that was a long time ago. I very long time ago. It is not like that with him anymore. He is not my boyfriend and he really never was. We…well…we just got close because we shared so much."

Sam did not look at Carly, "I bet you did."

Carly tried to take Sam's hand but the blonde snatched it away. "Sam…please…don't be this way. I meant that we shared a lot of bad things with Cassandra and that drew us close. Don't be jealous…I am not jealous of your past lovers. I…I was jealous of the boy the other night but that was different. I thought he was your current boyfriend."

Sam laughed, "Past lovers…damn, Carly, I don't have past lovers. I am…well…I am a fucking virgin! I never wanted sex until I…well…until you came into my life." Sam stood up so fast Carly could see the girl was wearing panties. Plain white cotton panties. Sam walked a few steps and turned. "Hell…I thought you fucking knew. Aren't you supposed to be able to tell…I mean like virgin blood and all that."

Carly laughed and she laughed so hard she had to grab her stomach. After a few moments she regained control and saw Sam staring at her with anger in her eyes. Carly stopped laughing but was still grinning, "Sorry…I…I was not laughing at you…I swear…but…no we cannot tell if a girl or boy is a virgin. That has nothing to do with anything. There are a few vampires who brought into the myth but that is all it is…I…no I could not tell."

Sam kept staring at her with anger in her eyes. Carly had to give the girl credit. No other human she knew would have shown anger at a vampire...except Henry. "Well I am so fucking glad my lack of sex amuses you. Let's just get packed and go meet this Henry guy." Sam started pacing back forth. A habit she had when she was angry and really had not reason to be.

"Sam…we can't just get up and leave. We have to plan the trip. First if we drive we have to plan it to make sure we stop and find a place to rest that would be out of the sun. I guess a hotel as long as the bathroom does not have a window. I…I could sleep in the bathtub. Or better we can fly but we have to make sure the flight takes off at night and lands at night. I don't think we will be able to leave tonight. And we need to tell Freddie and you mom we have to tell her something. If we just get up and leave Freddie will think something happened to you. He…he cares for you…I can sense it. And we don't want to worry your mom."

Sam continued to pace and looked at Carly and nodded. "Ok…we leave tomorrow night…I will look online and see if we can get a flight that leaves close to nightfall."

Carly sighed, "Ok…now would you please sit down. You are making me nervous. She is not coming tonight or even tomorrow night. She likes to play games, Sam. She knew I would tell you and that is why she told me. Cassandra loves to play cat and mouse with her…umm…victims. She mentioned something about when the time was right…I just wish I knew what it meant."

Sam sat back on the couch and turned to Carly. "Ok…so what do we do then?"

Carly turned her body to Sam, "Samantha…please believe me when I tell you there is nothing between Dante and me anymore."

Sam shrugged, "Ok…I…I guess I got a little jealous. I…well…I forget you really are not seventeen and you have experienced a lot more of the world than I have. But…why do you care so much that I understand about you and this Dante dude."

Carly gave Sam a seductive smile and raised her right eyebrow. "Well…you asked what we could do."

Sam nodded, "Yeah…so."

Carly leaned into Sam and gently kissed the blonde girl's lips and wrapped her arms around her. At first Sam did not respond and Carly felt a flash of disappointment and hurt but soon Sam opened her mouth and let Carly's tongue flick against her own. She wrapped her arms around Carly and gently pushed the vampire girl back and Carly fell back on the couch willingly as Sam fell on top of her while they kissed.


	12. Chapter 12

Both Sam and Carly moaned with pleasure as the girls kissed with Sam on top of Carly. Carly spread her legs and allowed Sam to go between them and wrapped her arms around Sam's butt. Sam moaned and ran her hands through Carly's hair pulling it with force on occasion. That act made Carly gasp in pleasure and her hands went under Sam's long tee shirt and she grabbed Sam's butt and pulled the girl closer to her. Sam let out a moan and felt Carly kissing her neck. She gasped in pleasure at the sensation. Sam never felt this aroused in her life and she wanted to make love to the girl over and over. She wanted to feel and taste Carly's naked body.

"Take me, Sam…please…take me. I want you…I want you to make love to me…to feel you inside me…please…I beg you…take me." Carly pleaded between kisses on Sam's neck. Sam responded by pulling Carly's head closer into her neck by the girl's long silky black hair. Sam felt the urge not only to make love to the other girl but to dominant her. Not hurt her…but to take control of her as they made love. She could sense Carly wanted her to take her and be the dominant one. Sam pushed her body into Carly harder and ran her hand up the girl's shirt and found her bra. Sam pushed her hand under the bra and found Carly's small but taunt firm breast and then the girls nipple. Carly's nipple was erect and hard as a stone. Sam grasped the nipple between her thumb and forefinger and she gently massaged and pinched it. Carly let out a cry of pleasure and brought her lips back to Sam's neck and her hands dug deeper into Sam's butt gripping the girl in her pleasure. Sam pulled Carly's head from her neck; she wanted to look deep into those wonderful haunting eyes. She grabbed a handful of Carly's hair and pulled back hard making Carly gasp in pleasure and a little pain. Sam stared down at her and then suddenly her eyes went wide and she jumped away from Carly in fear. Sam jumped off the couch and took a few steps back and left Carly gasping on the couch.

"What the fuck! You…you were going to fucking bite me!" Sam grabbed her chest looking for the cross but she had forgotten she took it off when she showered and did not put it back one.

Carly sat up quickly and closed her mouth to cover her fangs that came out during her passion. "No…Sam…I…I promise I…I was not. I…I did not even feel the urge to…please…they…they come out when I am sexually aroused." Carly pleaded and was almost in tears. "I…I can't help it. Please don't look at me like that…like I am a monster."

Sam took another step back, "Fuck that…you…you wanted to bite me!"

"No, Sam…I promise I didn't. It…it is just a reaction we have when aroused sexually. I…I won't bite you…please don't be mad."

Sam backed into the chair and fell into it. She looked away from Carly and took several deep breaths. "I…how do I know that is the truth? I…I can't do this with you, Carly. I…just can't have sex with you thinking that you may bite me." She looked back at Carly, "I…I am sorry. I think we should just be friends."

Carly stared at Sam and Sam saw her eyes flash with anger and frustration, "No…you wanted it, Sam! You wanted to make love to me…just as much as I wanted to make love to you! I…I cannot help what I am just as you cannot help what you are."

Sam sighed, she was a little afraid…more than a little, but she was not going to back down and run. "I…hell yes I wanted it…I never wanted it more than anything in my life right now. But…fuck…you are a vampire and how do I know you won't bite me as we have sex! I…I can't take that chance."

Carly glared at Sam and Sam felt a tug in her head like someone trying to get inside of her mind, "I could make you, Sam…I could force you. I want you that bad…I have never wanted anyone that bad before…ever." Carly focused her gaze on Sam's eyes, "Look at me Sam! Feel the desire, the lust, the needing…feel it, Samantha, and take me as you know you want to!" Carly commanded. She just whispered the words but to Sam they screamed in her head.

Sam tried to look away but she couldn't. She tried to fight it but Carly was too strong. She felt the desire and lust much more than even when she was on top of Carly and grinding her pelvis into her. She wanted the girl badly. She got off the chair and started to walk to Carly like a puppet and then suddenly she stopped and closed her eyes. "I…please…please, Carly…don't make me…I…please…oh God please don't make me do this." Sam pleaded as a tear ran down her cheek.

Carly closed her eyes and took a deep breath and turned away from Sam as she released the blonde girl's mind. Sam's body relaxed and she looked at Carly. Carly was looking at the wall and had tears running down her cheeks. "I…I am sorry, Sam…I…I never want to hurt you. I…I am sorry I did that to you. Please forgive me. I…I would never force you to have sex with me."

Sam glared at the girl and was about to yell but something in the girl's voice calmed her down. She heard true regret in Carly's voice. "It…it's ok…just please don't do that again."

Carly nodded, still not looking at Sam. She was too ashamed to look at the human girl. She was ashamed of what she almost did. She had never forced anyone to have sex and she almost did. She almost raped Sam's mind and her body. She almost let her desire to be loved take control as it had long ago when she murdered a woman she loved because that woman rejected her. She could not help it…Sam aroused her in ways no one ever had…even Octavia. She knew she was falling in love with Sam and she would not make the same mistake twice.

"Maybe…maybe I should leave. I…I will go see Henry myself." Carly stood and adjusted her shirt that got tangled during the girl's brief make out session.

Sam sighed, "No…we go together and you can stay here. I want you to stay here. I…I would feel safer." Sam stood and looked at Carly, "How come you got into my mind easily. I tried to fight it but it did not work this time."

Carly finally looked at Sam and blushed, "I felt you fighting it and I had to use a lot of power…more than the other night in the woods. It was just…well…I desired…desire…you so much it made it easier for me." Carly smiled kindly, "And your own desire also allowed me to enter your mind."

Sam blushed herself and nodded, "Carly…I wanted and still want you…but I can't. Please see that…I…I just can't…not now…this is all too new to me and I am still in shock about everything."

Carly smiled, "I understand…but I am not going to give up. I plan on wooing you the human way. No mind tricks or vampire tricks…just a girl who really likes you…a great deal…trying to seduce you."

Sam laughed, "Well I can't stop that…and don't know if I want to. I…I may give in one day, Carly…but please just be patient with me. I…I really do like you and I am attracted to you a great deal. It's just well…all of this is new to me not just you being a vampire…but me also never having felt this way about anyone. Just…please don't rush me. I…I do like you a hell of a lot."

Carly smiled, "Good…no lets book our flight to Los Vegas. And call your friend Freddie and let him know we are going so he won't freak out."

Sam nodded and walked to her phone and called Freddie. She talked to the boy a long time, longer than she wanted to, and he told her he was doing a lot of research online about vampires and werewolves and was making a list to go over with Carly on what was myth and what was fact. Sam laughed and called him a dork and hung up. She put down the phone and saw Carly at her computer clicking away on the keyboard. Carly smiled when Sam walked and stood behind her and then gave a pleasant grin when Sam placed her hands on her shoulders and leaned over her. Carly could smell the girl's soap and jasmine scented hair. She could also smell the girl's blood and Sam's lust. Carly enjoyed the smells. She wanted to tell Sam to please back away since it was driving her crazy with desire but decided not to. She wanted to feel the desire.

"So what we got?" Sam asked leaning over.

Carly smiled, "Two tickets. Flight leaves at nine thirty eight and lands after one in the morning. Sunset is seven oh nine tomorrow so that gives us plenty of time."

Sam smiled, "You know when sunset is?"

Carly looked over she shoulder and up at Sam. She did two things…she smiled and she almost swooned. She never swooned before. _This girl is so beautiful but there is more…she is…remarkable. Any other seventeen year old who just found out vampires and werewolves exist would be freaking out. Damn…I do love her!_ Carly thought. "Whew…umm…wow…yeah…I always make sure I am aware of the sunset and sunrise." She said aloud.

Sam laughed, "Yeah I guess it helps. So now what?" Sam stepped back from Carly and walked back to the couch.

Carly got up and followed, "I don't know…maybe we could just chat some…about normal things…can…can I snuggle with you?" Carly asked shyly.

Sam grinned, "You are going to make this hard on me, huh?"

"Why, Samantha, I have no idea what you are talking about." Carly smiled seductively and Sam laughed as she turned her body to Carly as an invitation to snuggle.

The next night Carly and Sam walked from the airport and got a cab to the place Henry was staying. Carly slept over the next day in the basement of Sam's house on the couch that folded out into a bed. Sam even tried to cuddle with Carly as they slept but when Carly fell asleep and her body turned cold and her heart stopped beating Sam lost her nerve and went to her room. Carly told her she sleeps like the dead but Sam did not know she meant it literally. With Sam's permission Carly vamped Sam's mother and made the woman believe Carly was a friend from school who had a bad home life and was staying over for a while. Carly like Sam's mother. She was pretty and had the same blonde hair but shorter and she was nice. She did have a tired look in her eyes for working two or three jobs to support her and Sam but overall Carly thought she was a very attractive woman who could easily get dates if she had the time. Sam tried to get Carly to make her mother believe other things like how Sam got all A's in school and never got in trouble but Carly just gave her a stern look and Sam backed down muttering how Carly was not any fun. Carly smiled seductively at her and assured her she could be a great deal of fun when she wanted to be. That made Sam blush.

The two girls arrived at the hotel room door where Henry was reported to be staying and Carly knocked. On the cab ride over, Carly had asked Sam to let her do the talking and also warned her that Henry was not to be taking lightly. Sam agreed. "What if he is not here…maybe he is killing vampires or something?"

Carly had laughed, "Well he may be…but Henry knows hunting vampires at night is very unhealthy. I think he will be there."

"Who is it?" A strong male voice replied on the other side of the door.

"Henry…may we come in?" Carly said. She knew the man had looked through the peep hole and knew had knocked on his door. Carly knew Henry was not stupid.

The door clicked and it cracked open just a little, "By all means, Julia, come in."

Carly took a deep breath and walked into the room with Sam behind her. Both girls saw a tall man of about six two standing in front of them. Sam saw he looked about thirty five or thirty six. She thought he was handsome even with a long old scar running down his cheek and into the collar of his shirt. He had short brown hair that was clean cut and was wearing light brown khakis and a blue polo shirt he had tucked into his pants. Sam could see his arms where muscular but not like a body builder. He was slimmer and trim more like a swimmer's body. He had very piercing green eyes. But what caught Sam's attention most was the big handgun pointing at Carly's head. She swallowed hard.

"Silver bullets I take it?" Carly asked and the man grinned.

"Of course…one shot won't kill you but it sure as hell will slow you down in time for me to put a few in your heart or until I get to my shotgun."

Carly nodded, "I…I am not hear to fight, Henry. I…we need help. You have my word of honor."

Sam noticed Henry lowered the gun but still kept it pointed at Carly. "Of all the vampires I have ever met your word is the only one I would take."

Carly smiled, "Don't you mean of all the vampires you killed…you don't meant many that live long, Henry."

Henry grinned, "True…so who's the girl? She is not a vamp nor a human servant." The man asked never taking his eyes off Carly. He knew if the shit hit the fan who would be the most dangerous.

"She is a friend."

Henry chuckled, "A friend or someone poor lost girl who thinks being a vampire is…how do you say it…is so awesome. I never knew you to turn someone, Julia…or do you prefer Carly?"

Carly smiled, "You keep track of me…I am flattered, Henry. I prefer Carly if you do not mind. And no I am not going to turn her."

"So she is to be a thrall then…that is almost as bad, Carly."

"W…what is a thrall?" Sam asked in a fearful voice. She was scared. Even she could sense the tension between the two.

Neither Henry or Carly looked at her. They only had eyes for one another. Neither trusted the other and Sam saw that.

"Well, Carly, you should have told her before you decided to enslave her…that would have been the decent thing to do. A thrall, girl, is a vampire's slave. Not like a servant who is almost an equal and for the most part goes to the vamp willingly. A thrall is nothing but a piece of meat to be used by the vampire in any way they see fit. You may want to rethink you life ambitions, girl." Henry said in a cold voice.

"No look here, mister…I am no ones slave or thrall or servant! I am her friend!" Sam shouted and the ma laughed.

"She has fire in her…I like that…to a point." His voice still cold.

Carly gently pushed Sam behind her and Sam obeyed. She thought it strange she was more afraid of this man than of Carly the powerful vampire. There was something about Henry that made her afraid. She could sense he was a cold blooded killer. She also noticed the man did not look at Carly's eyes but stared at her chin. Sam figured he knew his job too well than to look into a vampires eyes directly.

"I don't kill humans anymore, girl, unless they get in the way of me doing my job so _when_ Carly and I do fight, best get out of the way."

Sam swallowed but Carly just smiled. "I told you, Henry, I am not here to fight."

"Yeah you say. We may not fight tonight, Carly, but one day I will hunt you. Also I remember seven years ago you and your mistress had other ideas. How is being a whore to Cassandra working out anyway?"

Carly hissed and flashed her fangs and Sam could feel the power flow from her. Sam corrected her earlier feelings…she was afraid of both Henry and Carly equally now.

"I am no ones whore!" Carly hissed.

Henry chuckled, "Yeah and I'm a shape shifter. You forget I know all about you Carly. I heard she released you and you decided to behave now for the past six years…but I know what you used to be and what you used to do for her _and_ for yourself. Don't fucking act innocent with me. You did horrible things for her and she did horrible things to you. I saw how she punishes. I don't underestimate my enemies, Carly…especially the undead ones. I know what you are capable of."

Carly took a deep breath and clamed herself, "I…sorry…I…yes she released me. She is why I…we came to find you."

Henry laughed, he was still pointing the gun, "You want to put a contract out on her? Do you have the money…it would have to be a lot?"

Carly smiled, "I was thinking you would do it for revenge, Henry. I was there when she hurt you…I held you down when she hurt you. Do you still carry the scars, Henry? Did the holy water burn like acid when your bites were purified?"

Henry glared at Carly and Sam saw he clutched his chest over his heart, "Fuck you, bitch! I owe you just as much as I owe her. When I saw your pretty face at the door I knew I would get you tonight. Tell me why I should not destroy you right now?"

Henry raised his gun up and Carly bared her fangs again. Carly knew he could get two maybe three shots off and if he hit with all three he may stop her until he got his shotgun. The _if_ bothered her; she knew Henry rarely missed. The bullets would hurt her a great deal being silver coated but they would not kill her. They would even slow her some but if he got to his shotgun, which she knew would be loaded with silver buck shot, and got a couple of shots into her heart he would destroy her or if he shot her head with the shotgun it would take her head off. At close range like this silver coated twelve gage buckshot did horrible thinks to vampires. She stared at the man ready to act.

Henry tensed and his finger tightened around the trigger of his nine millimeter pistol. He figured with a vampire as old and powerful as Carly maybe one or two shots before she got to him. He may have time to get to his shotgun after he shot her to slow her down; the problem was the girl behind Carly. His shotgun would blast Carly and may even hit the girl and kill her as well. _Well…too fucking bad; she wants to play with vamps she dies like one._ He thought as his finger got even tighter on the trigger of his pistol.

Sam was close enough to feel the vampire's body tense and get ready to spring. She knew at least one person…or vampire…was about to die in this room tonight and that one person may even be her.


	13. Chapter 13

Sam suddenly jumped from behind Carly and in between the man and the vampire. Sam never knew why she did what she did or what possessed her to do it, but years later when she sometimes thought of the first time she met Henry she was glad she found the courage to do so.

"Stop it! Both of you stop it right now!" She first glared at the man who had not lowered his gun, "Please…please put the gun away. We did not come here to start trouble." She pleaded and started crying and then she turned to Carly, "And you…stop taunting him! I…I don't know what happened between the two of you and I don't give a fuck!" Sam placed her hands over her face, "Please…both of you just stop acting so stupid!" She felt Carly's hand on her shoulder and could feel the vampire girl was no longer tense. She looked up at her and then at the man. The man still had not lowered his gun. She turned back to Carly.

"Carly, why…why don't you go get me a coke. I…I want to talk to him alone for a moment." Sam asked.

Carly nodded and left the room. Sam turned back to Henry and saw he finally lowered his gun to his side and he was chuckling.

"What is so funny?" Sam asked harshly.

Henry shrugged and turned around and walked to the small table next to the bed and poured a drink from a liquor bottle. He turned around and eyes Sam as he took a long swallow of the brown liquid. "Never seen a teenage girl order a two thousand year old vampire out of a hotel room before."

Sam smiled, "Can…can I have one of those."

The man smiled, "I don't give fifteen year old girls alcoholic drinks in a hotel room. Something just doesn't sound right about it."

Sam chuckled, "Well I am seventeen and I really need one right now." She held out her hand and it was shaking badly.

Henry grinned, "Yeah I think you do." He turned and poured Sam a drink and handed it to her. The girl gulped it down in one swallow and made a face.

"Thanks…whew…strong…so umm…may I sit?"

Henry nodded to the chair, "Sure…make yourself at home." Sam nodded her thanks and noticed he still hadn't put his gun away.

"Do you mind…it kind of makes me nervous."

Henry laughed and sat down on the bed and laid the gun next to him, "Happy…but you should get over your nervousness if you insist on playing with vampires…especially one as strong as Julia…oh sorry…Carly."

Sam shrugged, "I…I don't think of her that way…she…she is a friend."

Henry laughed, "Let me tell you something, girl, vampires don't have friends especially human ones. We are nothing but food or playthings to them. You had better understand that if you insist on hanging around her." He suddenly looked into Sam's eyes hard and Sam felt a chill run up her back. It was nothing to do with power like Carly has; it was just frightening to look into those green eyes. Henry relaxed a little more, "Well she isn't mind controlling you…it's easy to tell once you know what to look for."

Sam smiled, "No…she…she said she had a hard time doing that to me. I don't know why but when she tried in the past I could feel her and at times was able to push her out of my mind."

Henry gave the girl a look of surprise, "Is that so. Interesting…so what are you then…a faerie or maybe you have nymph blood in you. Vamps can't control fey creatures."

Sam shrugged and looked at her feet, "I…I am just a seventeen year old girl who is scared shitless because she recently found out vampires and werewolves and now faeries and nymphs exists. I…I don't know what the fuck is going on. All I know is that Carly told me some vampire bitch named Cassandra is out to get me and I am scared." Sam looked up and met the man's eyes. "Sir, I am sacred and I…I…I need your help. Carly said you would help if we paid you. I…I don't have much money…just about nine hundred bucks I have been saving to go on my senior trip for school…I…I may be able to get more if I sell some things. My dad gave me a lot of baseball memorabilia I could sell. Some of it is worth a lot of money. I…I may be able to sell it and get another two or three thousand dollars for it."

Henry sighed, "And you dad won't be made if you sell the things he gave you?"

Sam shook her head, "No…he left me and my mom when I was about six. He just left the stuff and a note that said he wished he could have given me more."

Henry looked the girl over, "Well for a contract on a vampire as strong as Cassandra I would get…and this is low ball too…I would get two hundred and fifty grand."

Sam eyes grew wide, "I…there is no way I can get that kind of money...I…well…sorry to waste your time." She got up and Henry saw she had tears in her eyes again.

"Sit down, girl. We can negotiate. Tell me what does Cassandra want to anyway?"

Sam shrugged and sat back down, "I…I don't know…but Carly told me that Cassandra says I have some power and Carly said she can sense it to…I have no clue what they mean. I…I mean I never felt anything or did anything except when I pushed Carly from my mind."

"Well, girl, that is no easy thing…especially with a vampire like Carly. Mind tricks are a specialty of hers. See vampires…master vampires like Carly and Cassandra…have special powers that develop over the years. Now all vampires can mesmerize you but Carly can go further. She can make you hallucinate and even control more than one person at a time. The majority of the vampires have to focus on one person and make eye contact and when they look away that control is broken. But not Carly…I have seen her control almost a dozen humans at one time and she can control other vampires...stronger ones. She can also erase your memory…make it like it never happened. If you can push her from your mind then there is something about you."

Sam smiled, "So…what is Cassandra's special power?"

Henry laughed (Sam found no humor in that laugh), stood up, took Sam's glass from her hand, and poured two more drinks. He handed one to Sam and sat back down on the bed. "Cassandra has a lot of them. She can fly, she is the only one I met who could, she has telekinesis ability…I saw her push a car with just the wave of her hand, but her specialty is being cruel."

Sam took a long swallow of the drink, "She…she is that strong?"

Henry nodded, "Yes…she is very strong…much stronger than Carly…and Carly is strong, girl, and dangerous…very dangerous."

"Sam…my name is Samantha but I prefer Sam." Sam swallowed the rest of her drink and felt her head spin a little. She was getting buzzed.

"And you can call me Henry. So…tell me something, Sam. Tell me what all you know and what Carly told you? And even if you had any dreams."

"Ok…but tell me first…have you always hunted vampires…I mean…not always but since you were an adult?"

Henry smiled and shook his head, "No…I used to be a contract killer but people got to easy to kill so when I found out vamps exist I started hunting them. They are more challenging."

"How…how did you find out…they existed?"

Henry shrugged, "That is a story for another time…I told you my secret now you tell me yours."

Sam nodded and was about to tell the man all she knew when she heard a knock on the door and she stood up, "That's Carly." Sam tried to walk to the door when Henry jumped up and grabbed her. Sam had never seen a person…a human…move so fast. She felt the strength on his arms as he gripped her tight.

"Wait…we have to make sure."

"It's me, Henry, please open the door…and I promise no biting."

Henry chuckled, "Damn vampire hearing…they can pick up a pin drop over three miles away." He let go of Sam and nodded. Sam walked to the door and looked through the peep hole and saw Carly standing there holding a canned drink. She opened the door and let the vampire in and when she turned to walk back to her chair she saw Henry sitting on the bed holding his shot gun. It was a pump shotgun with a pistol grip and short barrel. Carly saw it to and sighed. She was about to say something when Sam touched her arm.

"Please, Carly…please don't." Carly smiled and nodded and Sam looked at Henry. "Do you have to have that thing out?"

Henry smiled, "Just a safety precaution. I will behave if she does." Carly nodded she would and sat down in the second chair in the room. Sam sighed and returned to her chair. Carly looked at Sam.

"You have been drinking…I cam smell it on you." She said as she handed Sam the can.

Sam rolled her eyes, "Please, Carly, not now." Henry chuckled. "I was about to tell him all I knew…and about the dreams I have been having." Carly nodded.

Sam told the man everything she knew and Carly filled him in on what Cassandra told him. Sam had three more drinks of the bourbon while she told her story. Henry listened and did not interrupt until they were done. He looked at Sam, "In your dreams…did the people in the robes do or look unusual…think…like the color of the robes or any symbol…anything like that. Or did the cup or knife have anything strange about them?"

Sam shook her head, "No…not that I can remember…but…the one with the knife…he..." She closed her eyes, "His face…it was painted or maybe tattooed blue…parts of it. There were symbols on it…blue symbols."

Henry smiled and looked in Carly's direction, "Celtic…sounds Celtic to me."

Carly nodded, "So…what does it mean…being Celtic?"

Henry shrugged, "Hell if I know. But I know who may…you won't like it, Carly."

"Who?" Carly and Sam asked at the same time.

Henry smiled and it was not a friendly smile, "Francis Maclure. He may know."

"Who is he? I have never heard of him…is he the Master of the city?"

Henry shook his head, "No he is not a vampire…he is a lycanthrope."

"A werewolf? I…I don't think so!" Sam said and Henry laughed.

"Please don't call him a werewolf…he gets insulted. He is a wereleopard and head of the pack here," Henry looked at Sam, "That means leader…he is old and from Scotland and has Celtic blood."

"You…you mean there are werewolves and wereleopards…damn…this just gets better and better." Sam said.

Henry chuckled, "And other lycanthropes as well. That is what I am doing in Vegas…I have a bet with someone that Siegfried and Roy are weretigers. How else can they control those things. I am going to the show tomorrow night to find out."

Carly laughed this time, "Well don't kill them."

Henry grinned, "Wouldn't think of it…no one paid me to. Plus I don't have anything against lycanthropes unless they bother me first. They have a disease. Maclure is ok, Carly, he won't bother you…he has nothing against vampires if they leave him and his pack alone. Go see him…I am sure he will see you. He works at the university…he teaches chemistry."

Sam gave the man a shocked look, "You…you mean he…he has a regular job and all that…how come no one knows?"

This time both Carly and Henry chuckled together. Carly took Sam's hand and smiled at her, "Sam, most lycanthropes try and live normal lives. You can't tell unless you know what to look for. There are some, like Mathew…the one in Seattle…who are cruel but most just try to be normal."

Sam just shook her head in disbelief and Carly stood up…slowly Sam noticed and so did Henry, still holding his shot gun. Sam got to her feet as well.

"Thank you, Henry." Carly said and the man smiled at her and then looked at Sam.

"You really are her friend huh?" Sam nodded and the man looked at Carly and then back at Sam and shook his head, "God help you girl…God help you. Well I hope she feels the same way…I don't want to get killed when we go after Cassandra." Sam looked at the man stunned.

"You…you are going to help us?"

Henry nodded, "Yeah…I owe that bitch Cassandra." He reached into his pocket and handed Sam a business card. Sam looked at it and all it had was a phone number and an image of the Grim reaper. Henry smiled, "Hey…when the vamps honor you with a name, use it. It is good for business. Call me when you talk to Maclure…I'll meet you in Seattle then."

Sam jumped into the man's body and hugged him but Henry did not hug her back. Instead he pushed her away hard enough to make her fall on the floor, "Don't ever grab me like that again when I am in the room with a vampire! You could have messed up my aim if I had to shoot her!" He said harshly and Sam looked embarrassed.

Carly rolled her eyes and helped Sam to her feet, "Damn, Henry, don't you have any emotion at all in you."

Henry shook his head, "If I did I would not have survived this long. Now leave and call me after you know more."

Sam and Carly left the room. Once in the hall way Sam stumbled a little as they walked and giggled. Carly looked at her, "Samantha…you are drunk!"

Sam looked up at Carly, "I am not…just a little…buzzed…zzzzz…buzzed…zzzzz…like a bee." Sam giggled again and fell against Carly. Carly grabbed her and held her up and Sam looked up at her, "I like when you say my name…Samantha…you make it sound so sexy…Samantha…say it Carly…Samantha."

Carly shook her head, "We need to find a hotel and get you to bed. I don't want to stay here…Henry may find out. It is better if he does not know where I am at."

Sam smiled and ran her hands through Carly's hair clumsily, "Ohhh…he is nice. So forceful through…and handsome…don't you think he is handsome."

Carly pushed Sam away, "Sam…never think that man is nice! Never! He will kill you just for being with a vampire if he had to!"

Sam smiled, "Naw…he liked me…I could tell…and you like me to don't you Carly…Carly…I like that name…Carrrrlyyyy…sexy name."

Carly held Sam up as she walked to the elevator, "We are finding a hotel and getting you to bed. Tomorrow you will call this catman and ask to meet us tomorrow night." Carly did not sound happy.

Sam giggled as they waited for the elevator, "Catman…that is funny…almost like batman…hey…bats…can you change into a bat, Carly?"

Carly glanced down at her, "I am a vampire not a shapeshifter!" She answered with a tone that sounded like she was insulted.

The elevator door opened and Carly lead Sam inside. Once inside Sam started pawing at Carly again, "Awww…I bet you would make a cute bat."

Carly just sighed and let Sam fall to the floor. "Ouch…that hurt…that was mean, batgirl." Sam giggled again.

"Sam…I swear if you call me a bat one more time I am going to…going to…"

Sam grabbed the safety bar and pulled herself up and stood close to Carly, "Going to what? Bite me?" she giggled at that.

Carly opened her mouth to say something but the words could not come out because Sam had pressed her mouth on hers. She kissed Sam back hard and felt Sam's tongue go into her mouth. Carly finally found the willpower to push Sam away.

"Please…don't Sam…I…not when you are drunk…not for the first time."

Sam pulled back pouting and fell to the floor on her butt. "You are no fun!" She said in a huff.

"Samantha, it just would not be right…it would be no different than if I used my mind to control you. You would regret it in the morning."

Sam stuck out her lower lip and as she opened her mouth to say something she got sick and vomited in the corner of the elevator. She looked up at Carly, "Carly…I…I don't feel too good."

Carly shook her head, "Good…I hope they make you pay to have it cleaned up." Sam got sick again and Carly sighed and kneeled down and held the girl's hair back as she throw up. By the time they got to the lobby, Sam was dry heaving and the elevator reeked of vomit. The small group of people waiting for the elevator decided to take the next one. Carly pulled Sam to her feet and had to vamp the hotel staff into believing someone else got sick in the elevator and quickly carried Sam, who was now passed out, into a cab and told the driver to take them to the Sands Casino. At the Casino she vamped the clerk and night manager into thinking she was over twenty one and a high roller and they compted her a huge suite and she tucked Sam into bed. She smiled at the unconscious girl and kissed her forehead and went into the other bedroom and was glad to see thick curtains that would bloke out the sun in the morning and throughout the day. She did make a few adjustments after she called the lobby and they brought her some duck tape. Of course they did not ask any questions and she taped the small cracks in the curtain tight so there would be no sunrays entering the room. Satisfied with her completed task she left the room to go feed. She was hungry and had not eaten in almost two days.


	14. Chapter 14

Sam woke up the next day with and thought her head was going to explode it hurt so much. She rolled over in her bed and a wave of nausea hit her stomach. She felt like she was going to throw up but then it passed. She slowly sat up in the bed and looked at the digital clock and sighed. It was a little after one in the afternoon. She tossed the blankets off of her and slowly got out of the bed and noticed she was naked. She blushed because she knew Carly had undressed her and put her to bed. Sam saw a piece of paper on the night stand and on top of the paper were four pills. She looked at the note: _"Sam, here are some aspirin for your head, which I know will be hurting when you get up. Serves you right! Also here is the number for Mr. Maclure. Call him and see if he will see us tonight. Do not give him a lot of information and do not tell him I am…well…you know...Carly aka Batgirl."_ Sam smiled as she thought of Carly and then her eyes went wide as she thought of last night. She had gotten drunk without meaning to and she remembered everything she did. She called Carly a bat and kissed the girl and then threw up in the hotel elevator. Sam groaned and stood up to take a shower and get dressed.

After she had showered and got dressed she walked into the living area of the large suit and grinned, "Hell, Carly knows how to pick them." She looked around and saw the large screen plasma television and briefly wandered it she asked Carly to take it with them when they left if the vampire girl would do it. "Naw…for a vampire she sure has morals…about some things." Sam glanced at the door leading to the other bedroom and fought the urge to check on Carly. She still did not think she had the nerve to see the vampire girl sleeping…like the dead. She sat down and turned on the television.

Sam called the wereleapord and after dropping Henry's name he agreed to meet at nine in the evening at a local dinner just outside of town. He gave her the directions. After a few hours of watching the television Sam got hungry and decided to go get something to eat. She left Carly a note taped to the bedroom door that she would be back right at sundown. After she ate a large lunch/earlier dinner in the hotel lobby, charged to the room of course, she tried to get into the casino's but of course she got ID'd and they would not let her in. Sam looked at her watch and saw it was only a little after five and Carly would not be up until after sunset. She was bored and decided to walk around the streets of Los Vegas. Sam did some window shopping and even tried to get into a few more casinos and of course was denied and when she looked at the sky she saw the sun was setting and decided to go back to the hotel.

Sam was about four blacks from the hotel when a tall man steeped out from an alley and stood in front of her. Sam nodded to him and tried to step away but he blocked her path. She looked into his eyes and he smiled. He had long black hair and looked to be about thirty. He had tattoos over his arms and a big one of a dog or wolf on his neck. He was dressed in plain blue jeans and a Harley Davidson Shirt. He smiled at Sam and when he did the girl became afraid. His smile showed his teeth and Sam saw his upper and lower teeth had canines like a dogs. She started walking backwards and bumped into something. She turned and saw a cute lady of about twenty five and dressed in a short leather skirt and tight red blouse. She had short red hair. She smiled at Sam and again the girl saw the teeth and fear shot through her.

"What…what do you want?"

The girl laughed and her hand grabbed Sam. She moved so fast that it was a blur to Sam and her grip was tight. So tight Sam knew the girl could break her bones with just a little more pressure.

"Why, Samantha, we want you. We came all this way to find you and you are coming back with us."

Sam tried to ignore her fear but she was not doing a good job. She looked at her feet, "I…I…I already have a flight booked. But…ummm…thank you for the offer. Maybe we can hook up when I get back. Just give me your name and…" Sam's words were cut short when the man was suddenly at her side. He moved faster than anything Sam had seen. As a matter of fact she did not see him move. One moment he was about ten feet behind her and in a blink of an eye he was next to her. He struck her face and Sam felt her cheek bone shatter along with her jaw. She would have fallen to the ground if the girl did not hold her up.

"Jason, what are you doing? Mathew wants her alive and unharmed." Sam barely heard the woman scream. He face and jaw hurt and she knew she was about to pass out.

"Fuck him. He is doing a poor job leading the pack…in league with that vampire. I want to show him not all of us agree with his choice of friends." Sam then felt great pain in her side and felt ribs break. The man hit her in the side and she crumpled to the ground as the woman let go of her. She was dizzy and everything was a bur and she knew she was going to pass out soon. She hoped she would…it would ease the pain. Sam coughed once and she could taste the blood in her mouth that came from her lungs and broken face. She tried to take a deep breath but not only did it hurt too much but she could not get any air in her lungs. She tried to crawl away but felt a booted foot slam into her face breaking her nose. She begged in her mind to either pass out or die because the pain was too much. She rolled over and saw the woman grab the man by the collar of his tee shirt.

"Stop! Don't be stupid, Jason. Don't challenge Mathew. I…I don't like what he is doing either but we have no choice. He is our chief and too strong to challenge with the power that undead bitch is giving him."

Sam saw in her blurry vision the man grin, "Yes…but if we eat this ones flesh," The man kicked Sam again and she rolled over and felt ribs on her other side break. She knew these two were not human. They were to strong. She also knew that she was going to die. She coughed up more blood and knew her lungs and maybe other organs were bleeding. She just hoped she dies before they ate her. She did not want to be alive when that happened. "If we eat her flesh we will grow strong. I know you can smell it, Katrina, I know you can smell the magic in her." Sam screamed again as blood foamed in her mouth as the man stepped on her hand and crushed her fingers. Why wouldn't she pass out so the pain would stop!

"_Yes_ I can smell it…I want to eat her flesh as well…but we have our orders from our Ulfric. If we don't bring her back he will punish us or kill us. He…he has punished me before, Jason, and it is not pleasant. I…I am not going to risk it."

Jason laughed, "You are not alpha so you know nothing of power! She is going to die now anyway…look at her!" He stepped on her other hand and she screamed again and blood once more from her lungs foamed in her mouth. Jason laughed, "She is dead so why not enjoy a meal on her magical flesh. I will even…" Jason's words were cut short and Sam in her blurry vision saw a large furry shape land on Jason and the werewolf screamed. The animal was huge…larger than anything Sam had seen. She did not know what kind it was but that it was just big. His scream was half growl and half pain. She looked up and saw two other furry shapes had the girl pinned on the ground and she was trying to fight but on of the shapes opened a large mouth and closed on the girl's head. Sam prayed to die or pass out hoping she would not wake up when the animals ate her body. That would be just too much for her. The girl screamed and trashed and Sam heard or saw no more as she passed out as one of the large furry things stalked to her.

Carly woke and stretched her supple body, sat up in her bed, and smiled. She knew her and Sam were facing a serious threat from Cassandra and they had taken their trip to seek help from someone that all vampires hated and a lot even feared, but she could not help but enjoy the trip with Sam. She pretended they were on vacation as two friends and maybe even lovers. Carly liked that pretend. It had been a long time since she got to play make believe and something about Sam made her feel like a seventeen year old girl in love again. She almost felt human…almost. She knew she was being childish at times but she could not help it. Sam made her feel that way and Carly had to admit she enjoyed it. She would continue to play out her fantasy as long as she could because she knew when the time came she would have to become the real Carly…the Julia, the vampire, the monster. She knew without doubt she loved Sam and knew she would give her life…well her existence to protect the girl but she hoped it would not come to that. Carly knew she could not face Cassandra and win and she knew even with Henry's help the battle was going to be lost, but she was going to make sure of one person survived the battle it would be Sam...or at least she hoped. Carly also hoped she was destroyed before Cassandra did what ever she had planned for the blonde human girl. Carly did not want to witness the death of another person she loved. She also knew they did not have a chance at winning. Sure they had Carly who was stronger than any vampire in Cassandra's court, but not stronger than Cassandra herself. Carly knew the vampire girl who made her could rip her to shreds with just her mind. And Henry was the best at hunting and killing vampires, lycanthropes, and other preternatural creatures, but was he good enough to take down Cassandra? Their only advantage they had was daylight. To hunt Cassandra in the daytime when she was asleep, but of course that advantage was taken away by Carly's inability to fight during the day. She sighed and decided to worry about the battle later when they got back to Seattle. She would focus on Sam and what the wereleapord may know. She got out of bed slipped some clean panties and the hotel robe and walked into the living area of their suite. She saw the note on her door from Sam and smiled. _"Went to eat and going to try and gamble…maybe strike it rich and you and I can run off to someplace no one can find us. Called catman and he will meet us at 9pm. Be back around sundown. Don't munch on the maids or hotel staff while I am gone…they are pretty cool. You must have done some serious mumbo jumbo on them to get this room…you have style, girl. I give you that! Love ya…well…you know what I mean, Sam"_

Carly grinned at the note and Sam's humor. _The girl was in danger…mortal danger…and she could still make jokes. Hell she just found out about vampires and werewolves and other things that go bump in the night and on the outside she is being calm._ Carly thought and wondered if she should find something…someone…to snack on before Sam got back. She shook her head and decided to wait till later. She was hungry but not weak. She looked at the television and grinned again. She did not like television and decided to flip through some of the fashion magazines on the coffee table. She did like to keep up with the latest trends. Carly went through three magazines and saw it was getting late and wished Sam would hurry up. They had thirty minutes before they had to meet Francis Maclure. She started to get worried and even flinched when the phone rang. She got up to answer it.

"Samantha, where are you! We have to meet…" Carly said into the phone before she was cut off. She registered using a fake name so she knew it had to be Sam.

"Carly, just listen and don't talk." The voice was male. It was Henry. "They have the girl…Sam. The wereleapards have her at a dinner outside of town. The Cat's Paw. It is off route 31 about a mile north of the city."

Carly felt her anger rage inside her, "Ok…you going to meet me there?"

Henry sighed, "No. I signed on to help with Cassandra. I don't have a problem with them."

"What…not enough money in it for you, you bastard!" Carly snapped. "How…how did you know where I was anyway?

Henry let the comment go, "Let's just say I like to keep tabs on anyone who may try to harm me. Now Listen…she's hurt, Carly, she is hurt very bad and I don't know if she is going to make it. The leopards are…" Carly did not let him finish. She hung the phone up and screamed. Her scream was hellish and echoed throughout the floor of the hotel. Children ran to their parents in fear and hugged them tight. Adults felt cold shivers run up their spine and some of the faithful or believers even grabbed the Bibles placed in the room by the Gideons or clutched the crosses or other holy symbols that they wore around their necks.

Carly stood and quickly put on a pair of jeans, a tee shirt, her boots, and her duster. She was hunting tonight. She was going to kill tonight. The childish teenager was gone and the monster was back. The monster was back with a vengeance.


	15. Chapter 15

Carly walked from the room and knew she needed to feed to have her full strength. She saw a hotel employee wheeling a cart down the hall and get on the employee elevator. Carly walked to the young woman quickly and smiled. The woman was mesmerized quickly and tilted her neck to this beautiful young girl who she suddenly fell in love with. Carly grabbed the young woman, pulled her into the staff elevator and fed. She did not kill the woman. Normally she ripped the throat of her victims so they would bleed to death after she had fed. But this young woman was an innocent. Instead she sunk her fangs gently into the woman's neck not to kill but to feed. The woman felt no pain as Carly controlled her mind. Instead the woman felt ecstasy and orgasmic pleasure. A vampire does not need to drain the victim of all their blood. There was just to much of it. Carly drank until she was full and let the woman fall to the elevator floor with a smile on her face. She looked like she just had sex. Carly erased the woman's memory and she would never know how she got the two puncture holes on her neck.

Carly ran to the café as a vampire would run and as she passed humans they saw nothing but felt a cold shiver. She ran to the dinner, the Cat's Paw, and walked in without hesitation. The dinner was crowded and Carly could smell cats in the air. The majority of the customers were lycanthropes and all the lycanthropes were wereleopards. Those with the infected blood also smelled the vampire and most turned and snarled at her. Carly ignored them and spotted a door leading to the back room. She walked to the door and a large black man stepped in front of her. Carly could smell his feline blood. He smiled at her.

"Sorry, girl, this is for employees only." He then leaned down and got closer to Carly's ear, "Don't even try it, vampire, we don't have trouble with your kind so let's keep it that way." Carly did not smile back but grabbed the man by his arm and twisted. She could feel bones break as the man feel to his knees and his black face went pale. Carly steeped over him and walked through the door. The door led to a hallway and as she walked she could feel the hallway was slanted and she was walking down into the ground. She walked and got to another door and it too was guarded this one was a young pretty woman with long brown hair. The woman did not try and talk to the vampire but instantly jumped in the air about twenty feet and landed in front of Carly. She bared her catlike teeth and her foot came up to hit Carly in the face. Carly caught the girl's foot and twisted and again she heard bones snap and the woman screamed in pain. Carly ignored her and kicked open the door and looked around the room. It looked like a conference room and across from her was a glass wall. Carly felt her anger rise even more when she saw what was on the other side of the glass.

Sam lay in what looked like a hospital bed. She looked asleep and had IV tubes running in her right arm. To Carly it looked like they were draining Sam of her blood. In the conference room were three wereleopards. Two males and a female. Inside the "hospital room" another female wearing a white lab coat was bending over Sam using a small flashlight to look into the girl's eyes. The largest male wereleopard jumped over the table at Carly and the vampire held out her arm and caught him by the throat with her hand and squeezed. The man choked and tried to speak but Carly was tightening her grip and soon she would crush his windpipe. The female screamed for Carly to let him go and then backed away as Carly looked at her with her eyes red. The other male, he looked to be about fifteen, ran into the hospital room and yelled. Carly saw he was pointing at her through the glass and the woman in the white lab coat stared at her and shook her head.

Carly looked back at the man she was holding and knew he was alpha and in charge, "Tell them to let her go or I will ripe your throat out and then pull your spine out. You cannot heal that wound!" Carly commanded. The man just choked trying to talk.

"Leave him alone! He…he can't talk! You…you crushed his throat! Oh, God…please let him go." The young girl cried and then backed away as Carly looked at her again.

"God! God cannot help you, girl! I am your death if you don't let Sam go!" Carly hissed and bared her fangs. The girl backed up again in fear.

The woman in the white coat walked out of the room and Carly looked at her. This one was human and the only thought in Carly's mind was she would die easier than the lycanthropes. Carly tossed the man she was holding to the ground and the girl crawled over to him on her hands and knees. Crying she started licking the man's blood that poured from his mouth. Licking him not to feed but to clean him like a cat would. She curled her body around him catlike and kept licking his mouth. The human met Carly's gaze and the vampire could sense her fear but she stood her ground.

"Stupid girl! We are trying to save her! Can't you see that?"

Carly flashed her fangs and the woman took a step back and the boy next to her growled like a cat and jumped in between the woman and Carly.

Carly smiled evilly, "Don't be foolish, boy. I can kill you before you felt any pain. Now let her go before I slaughter all of you…not just in this room but your whole damn pack!"

The woman pulled the boy behind her, "Stop, Willie, she will do it." The woman looked back at Carly, "They are not werewolves and do not have a pack. They are wereleopards and their group is a pard. I…I am Anita…Anita Maclure and I am their leoparde lionne. My husband is Nimir Raj…Francis Maclure. You…you must be Carly."

Carly glared at her and then turned to the female on the floor as she was about to pounce. The male with the crushed windpipe was already healing and stopped bleeding. "Don't even try it, girl. You will die if you do." Carly snarled and the girl backed away. The vampire turned back to the woman, "You will all die if you do not let Sam go. I will not warn you again."

The woman nodded, "Sure…I'll go wake her, stop giving her blood, and you can carry her out of here. But she will die before you even get to the door. Hell she may die anyway. She needs a hospital."

Carly looked around the room one more time and her fangs retracted. She gave the woman a defeated look, "Why did you attack her then if you are trying to save her?"

"We didn't attack her…werewolves did and outsiders at that." A strong male voice sounded behind Carly. Carly turned and saw a large man towering over her. She guessed her must have stood at least six seven or eight and looked like a football player. He was huge. He was also very handsome with long blonde hair and a goatee. Carly stepped back and once more went into her monster mode. She could sense this one had power and was old…very old for a lycanthrope. They, like vampires, or not immortal, but where a vampire stops aging when they are turned a lycanthrope ages very slowly. One who was fifty could look to be about thirty, but this man looked about thirty five but his power was older…a lot older. There was something else to him besides being a wereleopard. Carly bared her fangs. Regardless of age or size she would kill him if he threatened her.

He chuckled and moved slowly to the woman in the white coat and put his arm around her. "Well, Henry was right about you. He said you were old and strong. I have never met a vampire as old as you. You have my people terrified and hurt three of them. I do believe you would kill most of us before we could stop you."

Carly hissed, "I just want Sam…no one has to get hurt or die. Just give her to me and tell me where these wolves are that hurt her so I can kill them."

Francis Maclure shook his head, "I can't give you the girl." He held his hand up to stop Carly from protesting, "As my wife told you, she cannot be moved. As for the wolves they are locked away secure. We did not kill them. The girl is not pard and it is not our place." He looked at his wife and the woman frowned. Francis looked back at the vampire girl, "Henry did not tell you we had her safe?"

Carly shook her head, "I…I did not give him time. I…I was worried about her. What happened?"

The man told Carly what had happened. Carly relaxed a little...only a little, "And you just happened to be there?"

Francis shook his head, "Not me…four of my pard. Henry called me this morning and told me you would be calling and when the girl," He tilted his head to Sam, "called me I had them follow her when she went out. I had to make sure she was telling the truth. When you deal with Henry, it is always safe to be looking over your shoulder."

Carly nodded and even managed a fang filled grin, "That is true. Well I owe you thanks. I will take her to a hospital and then we will talk about why Henry told us to meet with you when she heals. I am sorry I injured your people."

Carly took a step to the door and Anita placed a hand on her arm and quickly withdrew it when the vampire glared at her. "I…I am sorry, but you cannot move her. I am a doctor and if you move her she won't make it in time to get to the hospital. I don't think she is going to make it here. She has too many internal injuries. And…I…I am afraid she may have brain damage as well…I…I just don't know for sure. We can just give her blood and pain medicine and…" She looked at her husband, "and make it as painless as possible." She looked back at Carly, "I…I am sorry.

Carly stiffened and walked past the couple and into the hospital room. She got her first good look at Sam and saw the girl's face was so swollen and bruised her own mother would not have known her. Carly ran her hand through Sam's hair tears ran down her cheeks. She looked at the lycanthrope and his human wife. "She will not die." Carly stated.

Anita shook her head, "I…I am sorry but there is nothing I can do."

Carly turned her head back to Sam, "No…she will not die. Leave us!"

Anita obeyed against her will. Carly's voice was nothing she could resist. The vampire's command was one not to be ignored. But her husband did not seem phased by Carly. He just stood in the door.

"I cannot let you do that. I cannot let you turn her. Let her die in peace, girl. Do not curse her for your own selfish reason."

Carly turned to him and her eyes glowed red and her fangs grew. She let them grow slowly to add to the effect. The man did not seem phased and Carly could sense his power. It flowed over her like a wave. She smiled at him cruelly.

"Yes you are strong I can feel it…but I am stronger! You do not want to play with me, kitty. I will butcher your followers, bring your lair down around you, and after I torture you until you beg for mercy I will turn your pretty wife and after you watch her rise as the undead her first meal will be you and then I will make her my slave for a thousand years…do not test me! Now leave…this girl will not die!" A rush of wind blew in the room and Carly's hair fanned out in the wind and she levitated a few feet off the ground with her duster flowing around her. Her voice was not that of the girl he had just meet but that of a demon from the pits of hell and now it was not just her pupils that were glowing red but her entire eyes were blood red.

Francis felt the power from Carly and knew she could and would do all she promised. He wanted to fight the vampire. He knew he would die but he did not want to back down from the challenge. The only thing that stopped him was his pard. He was there chief, their leader, their Nimir-Raj…their king. It was his duty to protect his people and his death would only bring about theirs. Francis was a great poker player and he could tell this girl did not bluff. He bowed his head and left the room. His wife grabbed him and held him tight as she shook in fear.

"You…you cannot let her…she…she is going to make that poor girl into one of them…one of the damned." Anita said as she cried.

Francis held his wife tighter and looked down on her, "I…I cannot help her. She is not pard and I am not sworn to protect her. If I fought I would lose and that undead bitch in there would kill all of our people."

After the wereleopard and his human wife left the room, Carly settled back to the ground and willed her power to stop. She then turned back to Sam and ran her fingers through the girl's hair again. She bent down and pressed her lips gently against Sam's. "Samantha, listen to me…open you mind…do not fight me…let me in." Carly commanded with her mind as she kissed Sam. She felt a little resistance and then her mind slipped into the dying girl's. "Sam…can you hear me…can you answer me?"

"C…Carly…I…it hurts, Carly. It…it hurts so bad." Sam's mind answered hers.

"Shhh…hush, baby, I am going to make it better."

"They…they said I am dying. I…I can feel it." Sam's mind whispered weakly. Carly felt tears run down her cheek again. "At…at least Cassandra did not get me." Sam chuckled and Carly had to smile.

"Hush, Sam…I am not going to let you die."

"Carly…the…the catman and his…well whatever they are…they helped me. They were kind to me."

"I know, baby, I know. I have not hurt them too much. They will heal quickly. Now listen to me, Sam…I am not going to let you die. I…you need to do what I tell you." Carly felt Sam's mind agree almost like a nod of her head and knew she understood. She just hoped Sam would forgive her for what she was about to do.


	16. Chapter 16

Carly lifted her lips from Sam's and brought her wrist to her mouth. She ripped her wrist and blood flowed down her arm as she pressed it against Sam's lips. "Drink Sam…drink it." She said aloud.

Sam's head turned away, "No…please…don't." Sam whimpered. "Please don't do this to me."

Carly forced herself into Sam's mind with all the power she had, "Yes! Drink it! I command you to drink!" Sam whimpered again but her lips closed on Carly's wound and she drank the vampire's blood. She sucked at Carly's wrist as the voice in her mind commanded her to. When the girl had enough, Carly pulled her arm away. "Sleep now, baby, sleep. When you wake you will be better." Sam let out a sigh and her mind relaxed and she fell into a deep sleep. Carly grabbed a towel and wiped the blood off Sam's lips and then her arm. Her wound was already closing. She ran her fingers through the blonde hair one more time and kissed Sam's forehead. "I love you, Samantha. Please forgive me." Sam gave a faint smile in her sleep.

Carly walked from the room and stood next to Francis. The other wereleopards were gone. Anita looked at the vampire and gave Carly a disgusted look. "So…how long before she rises? I…I don't want her in here when she does. Take her and go away."

Carly looked at her and then at Francis and then back to Anita, "She will be healed in a few hours."

Francis gave Carly a stern look, "No…it takes at least three nights for her to rise. I know that."

Carly smiled but it was not pleasant, "Do you think I turned her? I would never curse someone I love into something like me. I gave her my blood to heal. If I was to turn her it would take three nights and the ritual is more complicated than just feeding her my blood. I…I could never do that to her." Carly's smile vanished, "Now…show me these wolves so I may get justice."

"You…you can't just kill them…they did not infect her they just beat her." Anita looked at her husband, "You have to stop her…don't let her. This is our home she has no right to kill outsiders in our lair."

Carly grinned, "Want to watch me…they are going to die. Your own law would demand their deaths if they hurt one of your pard. Sam belongs to me now after what I just did. She is mine to protect. I demand my justice."

Francis pushed his wife away gently, "She is right, Anita. If they had hurt one of us I would kill them. She must protect what is hers." He looked at Carly and held his hand in a sweeping gesture, "This way."

Anita did not follow instead she went back into the hospital room to check on her patient. She sighed when she saw the girl was doing much better already. As a doctor she could work miracles with vampire blood, but as a human all she could think about was at what cost was this young pretty girl saved. Sometimes death may be better than life

The man led Carly out another door and down a dark hall way lit with only a few lights. Again the vampire could tell they were going down at a slant and deeper into the ground.

Carly looked up at the tall man as they walked, "I apologize for my actions and threats inside your lair. That was rude of me. I also apologize for hurting your people."

Francis smiled as he lead Carly down the hall, "I…I would have done the same for those I love. We are lycanthropes and we heal quickly."

"Nice set up you have here."

"Yes…it is a safe refuge for our kind. My wife is a doctor and she tends our injuries." He grinned down at the vampire. "We can't just walk into a hospital. Imagine the looks on a doctors faces when one of us is injured and suddenly heals quickly. Too many questions would be raised."

Carly nodded, "That is true. And in a city such as this what are a few deaths with unexplained injuries when you hunt."

The man stopped, "We do not hunt humans! We are not animals. When we have to feed on prey after we turn we feed only on wild game. When the full moon comes we go camping to a state park and hunt there." He gave Carly a stern look. "Can you say the same, vampire? How many people have you killed over the hundred or thousand of years you have been alive? What do you feed on to exist?"

Carly stared back at him, "Humans, cat, I feed on humans." She answered without hesitation of regret in her voice. They started walking again.

The man continued to talk as they walked, "You do not frighten me, vampire. I do not like you or your kind but I agreed to meet with you because I owe Henry a debt. It is dangerous to owe the Reaper anything and after tonight and we talk and I tell you about your human girl it is paid on full."

"You…you know what she is then? How…what…tell me." Carly said.

Francis shook his head, "No…I tell her not you. And yes I know what or rather who she is. She is a human but she is more. I have been around her kind before a long time ago."

Carly gave the man a long stare, "What are you? You are not a normal lycanthrope…you are too old to be that. I have never seen your kind before."

The man smiled as they came to a large iron door, "Later, vampire…when the girl is awake. I am glad she did not die. I once honored ones like her and I am glad to protect them once again."

Standing in front of the door was another wereleopard. A female one. She was small and very petite. Carly guessed she only stood about five three and very attractive with long straight black hair. She was dressed in a short black skirt that came way above her knees, black and red corset, and wore fishnet stocking on her legs and knee high black boots. She wore a thick layer of black mascara and eye showdown and dark crimson lipstick. Her skin was almost as pale as Carly's. Carly looked her over and the girl smiled at her. Carly could tell she was not afraid and she had some power to her. She looked about nineteen or twenty and should have been out having fun or on a date instead of guarding two werewolves.

The girl looked at Francis, "How is the girl upstairs? Is she better?" Carly could tell there was concern in her voice.

Francis nodded, "She will live now…and heal."

The girl smiled, "Good…she is much to pretty to have been hurt like that."

Francis nodded again, "How are the wolves?"

The girl smiled brightly, "They calmed down after a while when they discovered they could not break the door. So are to introduce me to our guest?"

Francis smiled, "Amber this is Carly. Carly this is Amber."

Amber stuck her hand out, "Nice to meet you."

Carly hesitated and smiled. The girl did not seem afraid. She took Amber's hand in hers and shook it. Amber seemed to caress the vampires hand before she let go.

"You are beautiful. So…umm…any plans later tonight?" Amber asked and Francis grabbed her and gently pushed her way from Carly.

"Amber, behave…she is with the girl upstairs." Francis said calmly but with authority.

Amber smiled, "Well…when she is all better maybe the three of us can go out." She leaned close to Carly, "Sex with a wereleaopard is incredible and I heard the same about vampires as well. It would be fun...for all three of us."

Francis pulled the girl away again this time more forceful. "Amber, go see if Anita needs anything."

Amber pouted, "Gesh…you never let me have fun." Her eyes brightened, "Can I go visit the girl? Just to say hello."

Francis grinned, "She is sleeping but yes you may see her…but remember she is taken and no funny business."

Amber smiled, "I promise." She turned to Carly, "Nice to meet you, Carly." She turned and skipped down the hall. He boots clicking on the floor as she went.

Francis turned to Carly, "She is somewhat…umm…"

"Strange?" Carly interrupted.

Francis chuckled, "No…I was going to say unique. She was one of the ones who saved the girl. She took the male wolf all by herself. And he is a big one too."

Carly looked one more time at the girl and shook her head. "Her…even when she shifts she cannot be that large. I did sense power in her…but still."

"Well she was infected when she was young…she was only five. Anita and I found her and took her in when she was about seven. Her parents had her changed in their basement for two years. They tried to kill her but she kept healing of course and since they did not know what she was they never thought of using silver bullets. They beat her pretty bad as well. Said God was punishing her by making her an animal. She hates to see anyone get hurt so I think she used her full power on the male wolf. She can be very strong and will make a great leader one day."

Carly shrugged and turned from him to the door. It was made of thick iron and she doubted if even she could break it and that was saying a lot. Vampires and even lycanthropes…the stronger of both…could bench press a truck but this door was heavier and made that way. The door was made to keep her kind or were beasts in.

"Nice dungeon." She said sarcastically.

"It is not a dungeon…it is a place we put the ones who were recently infected when they shift for the first time. The newer ones cannot control their urges and they may harm people. We put them in here to protect the innocent and themselves and feed them deer when they shift. It seemed the best place to put the wolves. They cannot break out of here."

Carly nodded. She started taking off her clothes and the man gave her a curious look. Carly shrugged, "I did not bring a change of clothes with me and would hate to get blood on these." When she had stripped to her bra and panties she bent over and handed Francis her clothes and looked at the door. "Open it please."

Frances used a large key he got off a hook on the wall and unlocked the door. He stepped aside and motioned for Carly to open it. Carly opened the door and looked around the room. Francis was right; it was not a dungeon. It was comfortable looking room with two nice beds and another door leading to a shower and bathroom. It even had a television. It could have passed for a hotel room if not for the blood stains on the tile floor. The two werewolves were in human form still. The man was relaxing on one of the beds watching television and the girl was pacing the floors. Both looked at the door when it swung open.

"Well, about damn time you let us go. I was getting..." he noticed Carly for the first time and his eyes turned to Francis. "What…what is her kind doing here? What is the matter, cat; you don't have enough guts to kill us so you send one of her kind to do your dirty work!"

The girl just screamed and the man turned to her. "Shut up, Katrina!"

Francis shook his head, "If it was one of mine you injured I would kill you both. But the girl belongs to her so it is up to her if you die or if you live." He looked at Carly and the back at the man, "I…I would not expect mercy." He walked from the room and shut the door. Carly herd it lock behind her. She was not concerned; she knew when it was over he would let her out. So far the wereleopard had played her straight and were honest with her.

"Jason…what…what are we going to do?" The girl screamed at the man.

"Shut up…just shut up!" He backed away into Katrina's arms and she gripped him tight. They weren't normally afraid of vampires in general but Carly allowed her power to flow from her and they could sense it. Carly wanted them afraid…she wanted them to taste fear before they died. Her hair flowed around her whipping her face.

The girl fell to her knees, "Please…please…I…it wasn't me…it was him!" She pointed at Jason, "He hurt her not me! He…he was the one who asked Mathew to come and get her. He…he wanted the power in her blood to take over the pack. I…I was not going to hurt her I promise." Katrina begged.

"Shut up, Katrina…I order you to shut up! I am you alpha…you mate. Do as I say!" He turned his eyes to Carly, "I am not going to beg a blood sucker for my life, bitch! I am going to fight!"

Carly smiled and showed her fangs, "Oh I was hoping one of you would. But I will deal with you in a moment." She turned her eyes to the girl, "So you did not hurt Sam? You did not almost kill her? It was your mate?"

Katrina shook her head as tears flowed down her cheeks, "Yes…I swear…oh God…please I swear it was him. Please…I beg you…oh God don't let her kill me!"

Carly frowned, "God cannot help you now, girl. You should have chosen another man to love. Look at me girl! Look at me!" Katrina looked up at Carly's eyes. She had not choice. She could not resist the power. Carly stared at her for a moment and then smiled a cruel evil smile.

"I see it now…I see your worst nightmare…you worst memory. I see what you fear to dream at night." Carly hissed and her voice was so full of power Jason took steps backwards until her ran into the wall. The girl just kneeled on the floor looking at Carly. She was frozen.

She screamed as the vampire invaded her mind. "Stop…please stop! Not that…oh God please not that! Don't make me remember that!"

Her mate had never heard her scream like that and he glared at Carly. "What are you doing to her, bitch? Leave her alone!" He was about to leap the twenty feet and crash into the vampire to make her break her focus on the girl but when the vampire looked at him he suddenly could not move his feet. He was frozen on place by her power.

"Now now…your turn will be next. Let your woman have some play time first. Men…you are so impatient…even in your love making." Carly turned back to the girl crying on the floor begging the vampire to get out of her mind. Most vampires, even the oldest and strongest, would not be able to control two lycanthropes at the same time, but mind tricks were Carly's specialty.

"Katrina…remember the day…that terrible day and what you saw. You could not save him. Remember how terrible his screams were….remember." Carly whispered to the girl seductively. Katrina screamed.

She was not longer locked up with the terrible vampire standing over her. She was back in the woods and she was sixteen again. She was on a camping trip with her family. Her mom and dad and little brother Jeffy. They were having a wonderful time and were such a close family. Katrina loved her mom and dad a great deal but she just adored her seven year old brother Jeffy. He was her world and she watched over him. She decided to take Jeffy for a walk in the woods after a nice lunch of fresh trout her dad had caught earlier. Her mom and dad were cleaning up and kissed them and told them to be careful. Jeffy told his dad nothing could hurt him when he was with his sister Trina.

They walked in the woods laughing and holding hands and Jeffy broke away from his sister and started to run.

"Catch me, Trina…chase me." He shouted as he giggled and Katrina laughed and ran after him. She gave the boy a little head start to make the game better and as she slowly ran so she would not catch him so soon a large black furry shape hit her in the back and knocked her down. She screamed as she looked up and saw a large black wolf chase her brother down. Jeffy screamed and screamed as his little legs ran as fast as they could. He screamed for his sister to help him but she could not move. She was frozen in fear. She heard the wolf growl and then her brother scream one more time but this time in pain and not fear. Katrina screamed as she saw her brother being eaten by the large wolf. She wanted to look away but her eyes were as frozen as her body. Suddenly the large wolf turned to her and she screamed again as he got up and walked to her on two legs. She screamed a third time as her bit into her leg with his teeth that were stained with her darling brother's blood and he dragged her through the woods into a cave. She escaped after two days when the wolf had turned back into a man and left her unguarded one day. During those two days he used her for his own lusts in both human and wolf form. Park rangers had been looking for her after they found her brothers body…what was left of it. The next full moon Katrina turned into a wolf herself while in her room and in her uncontrollable desire for flesh she killed her parents to feed.

She screamed again when she was back in her cell with the evil vampire over her. The vampire was caressing her face seductively.

"You don't want to see that again do you Katrina?" The vampire asked and her voice was kind and sweet to the girl.

Katrina looked into her eyes and sobbed, "No…I…I wanted to help Jeffy…but I could not move. And that…that beast used me…it…oh God please take the memory away! I…I know you can…please I beg you!" The werewolf female begged. Carly smiled and kissed the girl's forehead.

"Yes…I can take it away…but you know what you must do don't you."

Katrina looked up and smiled, "Yes...I…I know. It…it will hurt."

Carly smiled, "Yes my dear…it will hurt."

Katrina brought her hands to her face and suddenly they were not the hands of a human girl but the claws of a monster. She brought the claws to her eyes and screamed in pain as she ripped her own eyes from her head. She lay on the floor withering in agony as blood poured from her now empty sockets moaning the name Jeffy over and over. She turned her face to Carly and reached out blindly with her hands, "Please…please kill me!" She begged.

Carly smiled, "Oh I will…when I am done with your mate. You must suffer first."

Carly turned to the male. "You…you bitch! What…what did you do to her?"

Carly smiled, "What she wanted."

"You…you won't do that to me…I will fight you! I will kill you!"

Carly grinned, "As I said…I had hoped so. Do you want to shift first?" She released the man from her mental control and he screamed and his body shifted and twisted. Carly heard bones break, muscle tear, and flesh stretch. Soon the man stood before her in the form of a werewolf. He was larger and stronger and faster than his human form.

"Awww and me without any doggie treats. Next time I really need to prepare." She grinned and as the wolf jumped to her Carly's fangs sprang out and her feminine well manicured hands turned into claws and she jumped to meet his attack.

Frances closed and locked the door when he left the room and sighed. He held Carly's clothes in his hand and even folded them as he waited for the vampire to knock when her deed was done. He flinched a little when he heard her hellish voice talking to the girl and then the girl screamed over and over begging. He did not know what she begged for but he knew it was terrible. He heard the male scream and knew he had shifted. He was thankful it would be over soon and thankful her sent Amber away. Francis was not afraid of death or killing and he was not squeamish. He had killed hundreds and maybe thousands in his life but that was a long time ago. He was now just tired of it.

He did not know how long he waited as he thought of his old life and jumped when he heard the knock on the door. He unlocked it and grimaced at Carly. She was covered in blood. It soaked her bra and panties and she had blood on her body and arms and legs and on her mouth. He looked into the room and saw the girl's body on the floor and next to her was her head. It was not attached to her body and it did not have eyes. The male werewolf also was headless…and one arm was missing. His body looked as if someone took a chainsaw to it. Francis looked at Carly and handed her back her clothes.

Carly nodded her thanks, "I hate to impose one more time…but do you mind if I use the shower in the room to clean up?"

Francis nodded, "Yeah…I'll have fresh towels sent down and the bodies removed before you get out."

Carly smiled, "Thank you…you are the perfect host." She went back into the room to take her shower.

Francis thought for a moment he should shut and lock the door again. It would rid the world of a terrible evil…and it would protect that young human girl from a great evil as well. He shook his head and shut the door and did not lock it.


	17. Chapter 17

Sam woke but kept her eyes closed as she felt a warm wet sensation on her right hand. She smiled and thought it felt pleasant and opened her eyes to see a young small pretty brunette licking her hand like a cat would clean itself. Sam pulled her hand away and the girl looked up and smiled. She was dressed and wore makeup in the Goth fashion and had the most brilliant green eyes she ever so. Sam stared at the girl who just smiled at her for a moment and the turned her head.

"Anita, she's awake." The girl said and the inhaled deeply, "She smells better and not hurt anymore."

A lady of about thirty wearing a while lab coat walked to the bed smiled at Sam and then the girl, "Amber, why don't you go get something to eat, dear. You have not eaten since you and the others brought her in. The kitchen should still be open but if not have Jimmy make you a cheeseburger and some fries."

Amber nodded and turned to Sam and smiled, "The vampire…Carly said you would be ok now. I'm glad." She stood and left the room almost skipping. And Sam's eyes followed her.

"I am sorry if she made you feel uncomfortable…she is one of the three who rescued you and she feels like she has to protect you now and she was just grooming you and remembering your scent. She did not mean any harm. It is just their way."

Sam looked at the lady and rubbed her hand the girl was licking, "Umm…it's ok…so…she is a…well…she can change into a cat?"

Anita laughed, "Yes she is a wereleopard and can shift. She can control it quite well for her age but of course she has had a long time to get used to it. So how are you feeling…better I expect after…" The woman's looked at the floor and away from Sam, "well…maybe she should tell you." She looked back up at Sam, "So you feel ok?"

Sam smiled, "Yeah…I feel great…I mean…I feel fantastic. I thought for sure after the beating I took I was going to be hurt pretty bad but it feels like it never happened." Sam frowned, "I need to call my friend…to tell her I am ok."

Anita looked at Sam sadly, "Well you friend is here…she went to…ummm…speak with the werewolves that attacked you."

Sam looked at Anita, "You…you are not a…one of them are you?" There was a little fear in her voice.

Anita chuckled and shook her head, "No I am just as human as you are. My husband is the leader of the pard here…and yes he is a wereleopard." She sat down on the bed of Sam's bed and took the girl's hand. "Not all lycanthropes are bad, Sam. Even most of the werewolves are not bad. The members of the pack that attacked you did so because their leader told them to. They had no choice really. To go against their chief is something they can't do if they want to remain in the pack. And too a lycanthropes their pack or pard or group is their family…closer. Without it they are lost. They need them to survive and not go rogue. Most of them do not feed on humans. Normally they prefer animal flesh and only the worst attack humans. You have no reason to fear us." She smiled and stood up and looked back at Sam, "We are not vampires." She said coldly and Sam picked up on her dislike of Carly.

"She…she is not like that. Carly is not like that at all. She is my friend and would never hurt me."

"Have you seen her, Sam? I mean really seen her. Tell me…what does she look like to you…act like."

Sam shrugged, "I don't know…normal for the most part. I mean she did scare me a few times when she was angry…but not at me. She…she is just like me…a normal teenage girl."

Anita laughed and it was not from humor, "She is anything but normal, Sam. You have to realize that. She is a monster. She is an undead monster damned to hell and without a soul."

Sam sat up on the bed, "How dare you talk about her like that! She is not a monster! Fuck, lady, you are married to a damn werething and I wake up with some girl licking my hand like it she was sampling me to see it I tasted good and you call Carly a monster? What about them!"

Anita shook her head, "My husband was infected with a disease as were all of the others in our pard. That girl who just left…who saved you life by the way…was infected when she was only five years old. They could kill humans very easily in or out of their form but they choose not to. Amber could have easily picked you up like a rag doll and thrown you across this room and then snapped your neck like a twig…but instead she choose… by her own free will mind you…to protect you. That girl who was tasting you as you put it was doing what they do. She was getting your scent! She is powerful even for her age and one day she will make a strong pard queen but she will have to fight for that right within the pard and maybe even kill…but she will never kill a human! And when she does fight she will get hurt and maybe die but it will be within rules of the combat and a challenge. It is not murder! She saved you damn life and now she feels bound to you and you put her in the same category as Carly! Can your Carly say the same? Ask her when she gets back what she did to those werewolves! Ask her how come you healed so quickly! You have not seen her, child…you have not seen what she is and what she can do! Ask here how many human lives she has taken to continue her existence!" Anita started tearing up and walked quickly from the room just as Carly and Francis entered the door.

"Anita, are you alright?" Francis asked. His wife looked up into his eyes and then at Carly.

"Get her out of here! I want her gone tonight!" Anita yelled at her husband and walked passed him and before she shut the door she turned, "And you need to have a talk with Amber. That fool girl as bound herself to Sam and feels she has to protect her now…I am not going to let her get involved with some vampire and her slave and whatever trouble those two are in!"

Carly looked at Francis and he shook his head, "She is my wife so she is their queen. It is her job to protect the pard as it is mine and she takes that job seriously. If the girl can move around I will send for you and we will discuss why Henry told you to seek me out. The faster the better so you can leave." Carly nodded and walked to Sam's bed. Sam was staring at the wall and gave Carly a half smile when the vampire approached her bed.

"Hey, baby, feeling better?" Carly said gently and brought her hand up to Sam's face but Sam turned her head.

"Yeah…a lot. Like…ummm…magic…or is it something else, Carly?" Sam turned and faced the vampire girl. "I had a dream where you made me drink something and it made me feel better…better that better. What…what did you do to me?"

Carly sighed, "Sam…I had no choice. You were going to die. I had to."

Sam glared at her, "What did you do to me, Carly? Please…you…you promised you would not lie to me."

Carly nodded, "No I have not lied to you, Sam. I…I promised I will never lie to you. But there are some things I don't want you to know about me…I…if you ask I will tell you and you won't like the answer."

Sam nodded, "The…the man and woman who attacked me…what…what did you do to them?"

"I killed them." Carly answered flatly.

Sam swallowed hard, "How…how did I get better so quickly. How did I heal with not a single scar or broken bone? What…what did you make me drink, Carly?"

"I…I made you drink some of my blood. That is why you healed."

Sam looked shocked, "Oh God…I…why…oh God no. I…I am a vampire now?" She asked in a fearful squeaky voice.

Carly giggled, "No silly…you are not going to become a vampire." She moved to the bed and sat back down and Sam flinched. "Sam…I would never do that to you…to any one and that is not a lie. I have never cursed another person to be like me."

Sam nodded and believed her, "So…what happens now…I mean…I…I know it is bad…I just know it! Am I your slave like Anita said?"

Carly smiled, "No…well there are a few side effects." Carly looked around to make sure they were alone and the door was shut, "Drinking a vampire's blood only allows me to enter your mind easily and also lets me keep track of you. I can hear your thoughts over a great distance and if you are in danger I will know it. But it only lasts for a short period of time...three or four days. Now if I was going to turn you then I would have to drink your blood but not all at once. I would have to feed on you for three times…or four…the more you feed better it is. And then at the last time I would have to almost drain you and then you would drink from me and in about two nights you would be a vampire. See…it is not an easy thing."

Sam let out a long sigh, "Yeah not an easy thing. I scares me the way you say that, Carly. I…I am not scared of you anymore…but I think I should be. That lady Anita said I should be and then Henry said I should be." Sam looked up at Carly, "Please tell me I should not be afraid of you. Please promise me."

Carly nodded, "I promise you, Samantha, I will never hurt you or those you truly love."

Sam nodded, "And promise me you will never make me drink your blood."

Carly smiled, "I promise…but if you were about to die again I may break that promise."

Sam chuckled, "Ok…and umm…sorry for getting all weird…I am just…hell…I am fucking scared…not just you and me but everything. I…I just want to go home. And I am hungry…real hungry."

Carly nodded and moved away from the bed and pocked up a bundle of clothes on a stool and tossed them to the bed, "Here…these may fit. Yours were ruined some." Sam nodded her thanks and stared at Carly.

"What?" Carly asked.

"Turn around…I am naked under here."

Carly laughed and it sent pleasant shivers down Sam's spine. She turned her back to Sam and smiled, "Oh, Samantha?"

"Yeah," Sam said as she was putting on a bra that was a little to small for her.

"One more side affect of my blood…you may have a real increased sex drive and a strong sexual desire for me over the next few days." Carly giggled.

"Shit…that is all I need!" Sam cursed under her breath. She already had major lust for Carly and if it got worse she could not stop herself and she did not trust Carly to stop her. She got dressed and suddenly smelled food. He stomach growled and she looked through the glass window into the joining conference room. She saw the girl Amber was placing two plates on the table and both contained very large cheeseburgers and French fries were almost spilling on the table. Sam smiled and looked at Carly. "Thank God…I am starved." She walked to the door and Carly grabbed her arm gently.

"Be careful what you eat here…you don't know what kind of meat it is."

Sam looked at her with shock, "Are…are you serious?"

Carly frowned, "No…it is beef but I don't like that one."

Sam grinned, "That was mean." She looked at the girl in the room who was sitting down and waved at her through the glass. Sam wondered how in the hell that petite frail looking girl was going to protect her. Then she had a flash of her attack and the large fur shape that drove the werewolf off her…yeah…maybe she could.

Sam glanced back at Carly, "She's nice…and I am fucking starving so let me eat and we go talk to the head honcho and we get the fuck out of town."

Carly let her arm go and allowed Sam through the door. Sam sat at the table and noticed her plate was set up very close to the girl's. She could have moved it but thought it may have been rude so she sat down. Amber smiled at her.

"I thought you would be hungry so I had them make you one too. They are good…best in town." Amber said and handed Sam a canned soft drink. When she did her hand brushed against Sam's and Sam suddenly felt a wave of power rush through her and it made her skin tingle. It was pleasant…sexual. She could have sworn she heard the girl purr.

"Stop that!" Carly said harshly to the wereleopard. Amber looked up at her and frowned, "Sorry." She mumbled under her breath.

Sam looked confused and looked at Carly. The vampire was glaring at Amber with a look of hatred in her eyes…no not hatred. It was jealousy.

"What…what did she do?" Sam asked Carly.

Amber spoke first, "I let you feel my power. It was wrong of me and I am sorry…please forgive me. We aren't supposed to show our power to humans. Pard law so Francis says." Amber said the last part in a pout.

Sam chuckled as she took a large but of her burger. "It's ok." She said with a mouth full of food. She liked it. She liked it because it made her feel good and attractive and also because it made Carly jealous. She looked back at Carly and had a sudden urge to kiss the vampire…to lay her on the table and ravish her and then the thought of Amber joining in came into her mind. She shook her head and knew Carly was right. She was feeling a side effect of drinking the vampire's blood. She took another bite of her burger and stuffed two fries in her mouth hoping the food would make her sexual desire go away.

"Well you are hungry…that is good." Amber said as she daintily ate her food.

"You could have brought the food to her and left. We did not ask you to join us." Carly said harshly as she sat down at the table across from Sam.

Amber smiled at her, "I was told to bring you and her to the meeting room after I ate."

Carly stared at the girl and did not like the way she was sitting so close to Sam. Sam swallowed her food and looked at Carly.

"She's fine, Carly, I like her company."

Carly huffed, "I bet you do." She mumbled under her breath and Sam gave her a surprised look.

"And what does that mean?" She asked

"Nothing…just finish your food and let's get this meeting over with and leave. I tire of this place." She looked at Amber, "It smells like cats…I have always hated cats."

The insult did not seem to bother the wereleopard as she smiled at Sam and brushed her knee against Sam's. Sam blushed and took another bite of her burger and a swallow of her drink and stood up. "Ok…I am done…umm…I need to go to the bathroom."

Amber frowned, "You didn't eat much." She pointed back to the hospital room and Sam saw a door in the room. "You can go freshen up in there."

Sam nodded, stood, and walked toward the room, "Sam, don't mess up the kitty litter…Amber may not like it." She heard Carly say and rolled her eyes but did not turn around. She wanted to get out of the place not because she was scared…she actually felt safe there. No she wanted to leave to get Carly away from Amber before things exploded. She had a feeling if they exploded Carly was going to kill a lot of people…well cats.

When the door closed Carly glared at Amber, "I know what you are trying to do and stop it!"

Amber looked up, "What…I was just being nice…to both of you." She turned her head to the direction Sam walked, "She sure is pretty isn't she?"

Carly hissed and showed her fangs, "Hands off, cat…you do not want to make me mad."

Amber made a growling sound in her throat, "I am not afraid of you, vampire! I am trying to be nice and a good hostess nothing more. Yes she is pretty and very desirable and I can smell her blood and the magic in it you can…but I do not feed on humans nor do I take what belongs to others. I protect her that is all."

Carly leaned over the table, "She does not need you to protect her…I am doing that. No one asked for you to protect her. Just because you took down a wolf today…a week one at that…do not think you can take me or what is after Sam. I would rip the furry skin off your body while you screamed and begged to die…but the person who hunts her would do much worse."

Amber giggled, "Yeah…and when you have to sleep or in the sun light who protects her then?" Amber's green eyes suddenly turned into green cat eyes and she growled again, "Such a good job you did today…oh wait…you cannot go play in the sun can you, vampire? You would burn…well I don't."

Carly leaned back, not in fear but to control her temper. If she killed this girl then she would have to fight her entire pard just to get out and Sam could die. She looked over the girl, "You are either to brave or very foolish, girl, not to fear me. Either one will get you killed."

Amber relaxed and her eyes went to normal, "No…I am neither. I do what I feel I have to and as far as fearing you…not right now I don't. Yes you could kill me as quickly as you killed those wolves but you won't. At least not now….you won't because Sam may see you and see the monster you are. And you would not like that."

Both girls put on fake smiles as they heard the bathroom door open and saw Sam walk back into the room. Sam looked at both of them and gave a nervous smile and her eyes settled on Amber's. "So…umm…shall we go now?"

Amber smiled and stood, "Of course." She took her hand and caressed Sam's cheek once again letting her power flow from her body into Sam's. Sam blushed again as she felt the rush of sexual energy flow through her body. Amber giggled and looked at Carly. "She is very beautiful isn't she, Carly."

Carly just rolled her eyes not falling for the bait and followed the girl from the room. Her mind was full of thoughts how she could kill the small wereleopard. She relaxed when she felt Sam grab her hand and give it a soft squeeze and then caress the top of her hand. She looked at Sam and Sam smiled up at her as they walked hand in hand behind Amber. Sam leaned up into Carly's ear and Carly leaned down slightly, "Don't worry…you never have to worry about that." Sam then licked Carly's ear seductively and giggled.

Carly smiled but still could not help the way Sam's eyes looked at Amber's butt as the girl walked in front of them. She briefly thought giving Sam her blood was a mistake with the effect it was having on her.

Amber suddenly giggled herself, "I can hear you…and smell your lusts."

Both Carly and Sam blushed.

**A/N – I am not to happy with this chapter…just needed a filler for the next one.**


	18. Chapter 18

Amber lead Carly and Sam down a long twisting hallway lit by small wattage light bulbs and the three girls finally came to a large wooden door that was carved with images of great cats hunting. Standing next to the door was another girl who looked to be about twenty six or twenty seven. She was stood about five seven and had long strawberry blonde hair that came down to her waist and was wearing a pair of jeans and a concert tee shirt of a popular rock band and canvas high top tennis shoes. Sam thought she was very pretty with an innocent girl next door look and would have looked perfectly at home on some beach with a surf board in her hands. The girl smiled and then her smile got wider as she looked at Amber.

"Hi. Amber, Francis and Anita are waiting inside. Y'all can go on in." The girl had a southern accent that reminded Sam of the actresses when her mother forced her to watch Gone With the Wind when she was younger.

Amber smiled, "Thanks, Vivian."

Vivian put her hand on the door and before she opened it she gave Sam and Carly a lingering gaze and then her eyes went back to Amber. "Amber, I was thinking tomorrow we can go shopping…and maybe a movie." Vivian suddenly started tracing her right foot on the ground and was looking down nervously.

Amber smiled and looked at Sam, "Would you like to go, Sam? I mean Carly does have to sleep and all…and the thought of you in that hotel room all alone…well like you were all alone…makes me sad."

Vivian gave Sam the same look of jealousy that Carly was giving Amber. Carly started to open her mouth when Sam squeezed her hand tighter. "I…I don't think so, Amber. I want to sleep in late tomorrow. But thanks for the offer."

Amber frowned and motioned for Vivian to open the door. The three girls walked in the room. The room was large and held a long wooden table with seats all around it. The table looked like it was made of the same wood as the door and it also was carved with images of great cats hunting, playing, and relaxing. At the head of the table Francis sat and the table was wide enough for his wife to be seated next to him. Francis motioned for them to come and sit down close to him and his wife. There was no one else in the room. Sam sat down next to Carly and then Amber sat down next to Sam. Sam rolled her eyes and hoped the girl would stop flirting with her so they could leave this place alive. It was not that she was not flattered and she liked Amber and if things were different she may have taken Amber up on her shopping "date" but she was finding out Carly could be a jealous person and while she just recently learned of the existence of vampires and lycanthropes and had met her first cold blood contract killer; Sam did not think a jealous vampire was something to toy with. Sam did not need supernatural powers to feel the tension in the room.

Francis sighed and apparently he felt it to. He turned to look at Amber, "Amber…why don't you wait outside."

Amber shook her head, "No…I am Sam's protector and you taught me that when we are bound to someone we are to protect we do not leave them if they are in danger."

Francis grinned, "True but she is not in danger here and you know it. Wait outside." He said gently.

Amber again shook her head, "I want to stay…I need to stay if I am going with them and help her face what ever is after her."

Anita joined in, "Amber, go wait outside! Listen to your Nimir-raj and go wait outside. You are not going with them and you are not bound to the human girl." She was not as gentle sounding as Francis was.

Amber once again shook her head, "No…I am going and we are bound. I saved her from the wolf!" Amber almost screamed and Sam jumped a little when she heard a growl in Amber's throat. It was not a sound a human makes.

Anita stood up, "How dare you! How dare you, girl! You threaten me! You never have questioned or disobeyed an order from your king and now you disobey your queen! I am Nimi-Ra…your queen! You will obey me! You are not getting mixed up in the trouble those two are in and you are not bound with the girl! She did not ask for your help nor did she submit to you as her protector. She is alpha as well and will not submit to you as her protector! Do not confuse your attraction for her as her submitting to you! No leave us! I will not see you get killed!" Carly smiled at Anita. The lady was human but when she stood she seemed to grow taller and her voice carried power. It was not magical or preternatural but the power it held was even stronger. It was the power of a mother chastising a loved daughter.

Amber stood and crawled on her hands and knees to Anita and rubbed against her like a cat wanting affection. She purred as she ran her body against Anita's legs and she took the woman's hand in hers and started licking it. "Forgive me." She said in a submissive voice. Anita smiled and caressed Amber's face and nodded.

"You are forgiven, dear. Now go wait outside with Vivian. We will not be long." Amber purred some more and gave Anita's legs a few more caresses with her body and stood and walked back around the table. She bent down and kissed Sam's lips gently. Sam was too in shock to stop her after what she just saw and she felt once again her skin tingle pleasantly as the girl showed her power. Amber stood back and looked at Carly and smiled.

"I would do the same to you, but I feel you would bite me."

Carly grinned, "Count on it."

Amber gave the vampire girl a look of disappointment, "Oh well…it would have been fantastic…for all three of us."

"Amber!" Francis commanded this time not to gentle.

Amber turned and frowned, "Ok…ok…I'm leaving." She looked one more time to Sam and Carly. "I wish you luck and please don't get killed. That would upset me I think." She walked out of the room.

Sam and Carly turned back to Francis. Carly seemed at ease and she was while Sam was looking like the scene made her very uncomfortable…which it did.

Francis shook his head, "I tend to spoil that one to much. A sign of weakness…I am sorry. You did not need to see that."

Anita sighed, "Yes you do…she is either going to get killed or pregnant one of these days." She muttered it under her breath and Sam did not hear her but Carly, with her vampire hearing, could and she chuckled.

Francis smiled as her looked at Sam, "Now, young lady, back to you. I understand you have some powers of your own and a very bad vampire is after you for those powers. Now tell me what you know…everything even your dreams."

Carly stiffened, "You said you know. What can't you tell us so we can be gone from here?"

Francis held up his hand, "Patients, vampire, I do think I know but I need to be sure. So tell me, Sam."

Sam told him everything from the dreams to the fact Carly cannot enter her mind very easily. She gave the man details of her dream and after he was done her nodded and gave her a large smile and even stood up. "It is as I thought." He walked around to Sam and lifted her gently from her chair and kissed both sides of her cheek and bowed his head to her. Sam looked at him and then to Carly and gave the vampire girl a very confused look. Francis laughed.

"Forgive me…it has just been a very long time since I have been in the presence of one you the ladies…well one of their descendants. I am honored to have you here, My Lady." He bowed his head one more time and went back to his chair.

Sam stared at him, "What the fuck was that about?"

Anita also stared at her husband, "As the girl said…'what the fuck was that about'?"

Carly laughed, "I don't think I have to repeat it…but I also would like to know."

Francis laughed, "Sam…please sit…you are descended from one of the Nine Sisters. Which one I have no way of knowing…no one would. But it is there. You blood carries their magic. I suspected it when you were first brought to us injured and your dreams and even your budding power tells me this."

Carly was about to speak and Sam grabbed her arm and looked at her, "This is about me not you." She turned back to Francis, "Who and the hell are the nine sisters and how come you know this?"

Francis sighed, "What I tell you does not leave this room…the parts about me. My wife knows but my leopards do not. Agreed?" Both Sam and Carly nodded, "I am more than a wereleopard…I was born in the year 430 A.D in England…."

"No…lycanthropes live longer than humans by fifty even sixty years but they cannot live that long!" Carly shouted and Francis held up his hand.

"They can if they have fey blood in them."

Carly shook her head, "No…faeries are immortal that is true but they cannot be infected with lycanthropes or even turned into vampires."

"They are rare…I have only known two that were infected and it is because were are only half fey and we were both descended from the unseelie court…bad faeries. It was our belief that the sidhe…the high court and faerie law…cursed a group of the unseelie court and that was how we could be infected." He smiled, "But back to, Sam, As I said I was born in 430 into a noble family and was a knight in King Arthur's Court." Sam gave him a look that either read he was making up stories or he was crazy. Francis laughed, "Oh I am not crazy, Sam, King Arthur lived and was real and so were his knights and Merlin and Camelot….so beautiful Camelot was…and of course Avalon. If you know legends of Arthur and his knights there was one story that involved a King Pellinore…a good friend of our king…Pellinore was cursed to hunt the Questing Beast…a beast with the head of a snake and the body of a leopard…well that part was myth. It had the body and head of a leopard and was actually a wereleopard that had stayed in his animal shape to long and could not change back. It was he who infected me when I hunted it with Pellinore. But yes they were real Sam…all of them and you are a descendent of the Nine Sisters…the goddesses of Avalon. They were very powerful Celtic priestess who were goddesses to us and the teacher of Merlin. They were powerful sorceress…good and bad…Morgan le Fay, The Lady of the Lake, the evil Morgause, Elaine the seducer of Lancelot and the mother of Galahad….and five others who never left their island of mist and were not known to us. You, Sam, are descended from them. I thought they had all died out long ago and their power so deluded with the blood of mortal men that I would never get the chance to meet one again. I am honored to have done so once more."

Sam leaned back in her chair, "You mean to tell me I am fucking witch! I…I don't know anything about this shit…I…I mean witches are supposed to cast spells and turn people into animals and shit."

Francis laughed, "No, Sam, you are not witch…you are much more but not as much and a normal girl. You can do nothing until your full powers have been released. The dream you had was a dream of the ancient ritual used to awaken those powers. The blood of an immortal you must drink…vampire blood works and you did that…but then you must be pricked by the ancient blade…the stone knife. This will awaken more powers in you but without a teacher then they are useless. And there are none to teach you now even if they could. The power…while strong in you…is so deluded all you will ever have are some minor benefits. Being able to meet a powerful vampire's gaze is one. I think but not sure you may be immune to being infected by a lycanthrope but I would not test that if I was you. You may have dreams of something that may come true or a sixth sense about things. You will be able to perform minor spells to mix potions and herbs and even recognize preternatural beings such as vampires, lycanthropes, faeries and such, but I am afraid you will never be like the old ones."

Sam looked at Carly and the vampire girl had a strange look on her face. "Well if she is not going to have all this power then why would Cassandra want her then? It doesn't make sense. No sense at all. Either Cassandra thinks she will have great power or the bitch is up to something else."

Francis shrugged, "That I cannot answer. Sam, when do you turn eighteen?"

"In three weeks why?"

"Well that gives you three weeks to find out what this vampire wants. The ritual must be done on your eighteenth birthday or all power you have will be lost."

Sam sank into her chair and grabbed Carly's hand and looked into her eyes, "San we go back to the hotel now?"

Carly nodded and looked at Francis, "Thank you for your help."

Francis nodded and the two girls stood up and walked out the door. They saw Amber and Vivian still at the door and both girls looked flushed and embarrassed like they were caught doing something wrong. Even Sam could get a sense of lust in the air and she giggled and had a good idea that the two girls were making out while they waited. Amber shrugged and smiled, "Need me to lead you out or need a ride to your hotel?"

Carly shook her head, "No…we can find they way." And they walked the long hallway out of the lair and called a cab.

Back in the hotel room Sam took a long shower and changed into a tee shirt and panties. After she brushed her hair she looked at the clock in her room and saw it was a little after one in the morning. She put her brush down and walked into the living area of the room. Carly was not there. Sam walked to Carly's room and knocked. She was glad when she heard Carly's voice telling her to come on. Sam opened the door and walked in to see Carly sitting on her bed still in her jeans and tee shirt.

"You…you going out tonight to…well…you know?" Sam asked quietly and Carly smiled up at her.

"No…I already did the you know before I came and got you."

Sam blushed, "Oh…you did not…well…did you kill someone?"

Carly shook her head, "I don't have to kill to feed, Sam. No I did not kill anyone and the person will be fine."

Sam nodded, "So umm…what are you doing?"

Carly laughed, "Well I was just thinking about Cassandra and why she wants you. I thought you would be asleep?"

Sam shook her head, "Can't sleep. Can…can I come snuggle with you…just for a while until I go to sleep. I…I don't want to be alone right now. To much went on today and I don't want to talk or think about Cassandra right now."

Carly made room for Sam and nodded, "Sure, baby, you can and we won't."

Sam smiled and got into bed with Carly and snuggled close. Carly started stroking the girl's hair. "You alright?"

Sam took a deep breath and inhaled Carly's scent, "Yeah I am now…just a little freaked with everything that happened…but I feel safe with you."

Carly smiled, "I won't let anything hurt, Sam."

Sam looked up at Carly, "What would you have done to that girl…Amber…if I would have gone shopping with her tomorrow?"

Carly smiled, "I would have killed her."

Sam pushed herself away from Carly, "Why…you just can't go around killing people, Carly…I mean…why? She was harmless. Ok she flirted a little but she was harmless and I never would have done anything with her."

Carly nodded, "Maybe…but you felt her sexual desire…she made you feel it and I know you liked it. I…I got jealous. I…I thought maybe you would want her more than me because she is not a vampire. She is closer to a human than I am."

Sam sat on the edge of the bed, "Carly…if things are going to work between us…if there is going to be an us you can't go around killing people who find me attractive or who I find attractive. You have to trust me!" Sam felt the anger rise up in her.

Carly scooted closer to Sam and came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her from behind. Sam jumped a little. "And you can't think every time I touch you I am going to bite you."

Sam chuckled and turned her head, "Yeah…there is that." She stared into Carly's eyes for a moment and leaned in and kissed the girl. Sam felt Carly's mouth open and her tongue traced Carly's lips, teasing, and gentle and made its way into Carly's mouth. Carly moaned and held Sam tighter. Sam turned her body more and pressed against Carly harder and made both of them fall to the bed. Sam lay on top of Carly grinding herself against her and she let out a moan as Carly lifted her tee shirt and grabbed her butt. Carly pulled Sam's butt so her pelvis pushed against her harder. Sam's lips left Carly's mouth and her tongue traced her way down her cheek to her throat and she kissed Carly's neck. Carly moaned and then gasped as Sam bit her gently. "I get to bit, you don't." Sam whispered in the vampire's ear and Carly could only nod her head in her arousal.

Carly's hands moved to Sam's front and pushed her tee shirt up exposed the blondes breasts. Carly took a deep breath as she looked at Sam exposed chest. Her breasts were perfect and her nipples were a soft brown color and they were hard and erect. Sam gasped as Carly's fingers brushed her nipples and then Carly lowered her head and took one of those wonderful nipples in her mouth and sucked it. Sam let out a loud moan of pleasure as one of Carly's fangs brushed her nipple. She was no longer afraid on those two teeth and she wanted more. She pressed Carly's head tighter to her breast.

"Ohh…please, Carly…please more…make love to me…please make love to me." She let out a moan of frustration and Carly pulled away.

"No…I…I can't. I want to…damn do I want to so bad…but it is just the fact you drank my blood. It would not be fair to you." Carly said and gently pushed Sam away.

Sam did not move. She grabbed Carly's head again by her hair and pushed her back to her breasts. "Fuck that! It is not the blood, Carly…I…I don't know how I know but it is not. I want you…I have wanted you from the first time I saw you. I…I want you now."

Carly took the nipple in her mouth again and bit it gently with her fang and Sam gasped once more in pleasure and then Carly pulled back once more and looked up at Sam and showed her teeth.

"They…they don't bother you?"

Sam smiled and brought her mouth to Carly's and her tongue flicked over each of the vampire's fangs and she pulled back and shook her head, "No…they do not bother me…I think they are sexy. No get your ass up and take off you clothes and get back in this bed and make love to me!" Sam ordered and Carly laughed and pushed Sam off of her and stood up. Sam stared at her as the vampire was taking off her clothes. She was enjoying the sight.

Carly was down to her bra and panties, ones she had to borrow from the wereleopards since hers got drenched in blood, and she looked at Sam and smiled, "If not the blood…then why, Samantha? Why the change?"

Sam looked at her and grinned, "Because of how jealous you got over Amber…you love me."

Carly laughed as she unhooked her bra, "Is that right? And you are sure of that?"

Sam smiled and nodded, "Yes…I am sure of that." She lay back on the bed and pulled her panties off and throw them on the floor. "But no blood, Carly."

Carly crawled back in the bed naked, "I promise…not blood." And she snaked her way up to Sam and climbed on top of her as Sam wrapped her legs around Carly's waist. Carly started kissing Sam's neck and her teeth gently scraped against Sam's neck and Sam let out a gasp of pleasure as her hips thrust upwards into Carly. She wrapped her arms around Carly's body and pulled her close.

"I…I love you as well, Carly." Sam whispered into the vampire's ear and then let the pleasure take over.

Hours later and when the sun was rising Sam got out of the bed and walked back to her room. She loved Carly and they had wonderful love making…a lot of it. She even allowed Carly into her mind and the sensation of what she felt then was beyond anything she could describe. Feeling what she was feeling and then feeling what Carly was feeling was unbelievable and made her orgasm over and over until she almost passed out. But even with everything she did and the incredible feelings she had for Carly there was one thing she could not do. She could not bring herself to be in the same bed as the vampire when she went into her undead sleep. She could not stand feeling Carly's body get cold and feel the girl's heart stop beating.


	19. Chapter 19

After Sam and Carly left the room Anita grabbed her husband's hand and squeezed it. Francis looked at his wife and smiled, but the woman was not smiling back. Instead she was giving her husband a stern look.

"Why did you lie to the girl?"

Francis shrugged, "I did not lie per say…I just did not tell her everything."

Anita frowned, "No but you should have. She needs to know…if she cannot control what is inside her it will destroy her and maybe harm others. You know she has power and if not trained it will consume her."

Francis stared at Anita, "And who is going to train her? You? You are a witch, Anita…a Wicca but your power dies not come from the same source and it is not as strong as hers. Your magic is of nature and her magic is of another kind."

Anita nodded, "True…but I could have been of some help to her. Showed her some things to help her and let her know what she is to become. Even if hers is the death magic she will still have nature's magic with it…a small amount. I can teach her to control it…to control her mind and even show her some of the rituals she will need to learn. I cannot perform most of them but I can show them to her. She is going to be overwhelmed soon…it could drive her mad."

Francis shook his head, "No…I will not let you or our people get involved in her and the battle between vampires. It is my duty to keep the pard safe and I have done that duty today."

Anita kissed her husband's check, "Yes, my husband, you are a perfect leader for our people…but I…I hate to see her die. The vampire I could care less about…she is evil…but the young girl, Sam…she…she reminds me so much of our daughter…Cathy would be her age if she was still alive."

Francis nodded, "Yes I thought the same…" he sighed sadly, "I…I will call the pard in Seattle…maybe they will do me a favor."

Anita shrugged, "If they can help…they are weak and leaderless and disorganized…there are only three of them left and they do not have an alpha in their group. They will help only if you command them to…will you do that? Will you offer them your protection?"

"You know I can't invite them to join our pard…they are damaged in a way that if they came here they would be victims to any alpha in our pard. They were used terribly by there previous leader. When he was killed there was no one strong enough to take over. That left them victims to other lycanthropes…especially the wolves."

"The girl may help them…she has the power to protect them when she learns how to use it. At least until a good strong leader can be found."

Francis gave his wife a shocked look, "You don't mean they should infect her?"

Anita laughed, "Of course not. But she could protect them even if she is not a were. I am not a shapeshifter and our people respect me."

Francis shrugged, "All I can do is ask them." The man chuckled, "Can you imagine the look on their faces when I suggest they seek protection and submit themselves to a teenage girl who is not even a were and a lover of a vampire?"

Anita laughed, "Yes they would love that…a human and a vampire protector." She stood, "Do what you must but I agree…do not get us involved in their fight." She leaned down and kissed her husband, "And talk to Amber…I do not mean as father to daughter but as Nimir-Raj to leopard…she is getting to out of control. She already has two lovers in the pard…Adam and Vivian…and God knows how many humans she is involved with."

Francis nodded, "I will."

Sam and Carly were on the plane the next night flying first class. Sam did not know where Carly got her money from and just figured if you had been around as long as she had it just accumulated. Sam had the window seat and she was dressed in a pair of cargo shorts and a tee shirt that read across the front "What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas" she thought it was funny when she brought it and told Carly she got it because of the previous night when they made love. She told Carly that their sex life was to stay in Los Vegas. Carly looked very disappointed until Sam told her she was just teasing. She sat with Carly next to her curled up in the large seat and her body pressed against Sam's and her head on Sam's shoulder. Carly was dressed in a simple jean skirt and a plain black tee shirt. Sam was trying to come to grips with everything that had happened in the last several days. She was not doing a good job of it.

"Sam…tell me about you?" Carly suddenly asked as she held Sam's hand.

Sam smiled, "What do you want to know…I mean…there is not much to tell. I live with my mom and we barely get by and she has to work three jobs to support us...umm…I get into trouble a lot at school and sometimes with the police. Minor things…nothing serious. I am known as a bully at school because I used to get into a lot of fights and pick on people. I don't have many friends…Freddie's about the only one I can really call a friend. Let's see…that's about it…umm…and I grew up always being told why I can't be more like my sist…I mean…umm…why can't I behave." She finished quickly but Carly caught what she had said and sat up in her chair.

"I did not know you have a sister?"

Sam sighed, "Yeah…her name is…was Melanie. She died a little over a year ago in a car accident."

Carly squeezed Sam's hand, "I'm sorry, Sam…what was she like. Was she like you?"

Sam chuckled, "Hell no…I mean looks she was. We were identical twins. We looked just alike and not many people could tell us apart. She was the goody goody and the smart one. She got a full paid scholarship to some fancy prep boarding school. She only came home on the holidays and would spend summers with one of her friends. Going off to someplace in Europe and shit." Sam paused and looked out the window, "When…when she died…I…I knew it. I could feel it. I woke up and told mom that she had died. Two hours later we got the phone call."

Carly caressed Sam's hand, "I'm sorry, Samantha. That must have been terrible for you and your mom."

Carly did her best to ignore when Sam wiped her eyes. She had learned Sam did not like to cry and hated anyone seeing her do it. "Yeah…mom took it pretty hard. She used to always tell me to be more like my sister when I got into trouble or brought home bad grades but after Melanie died she stopped. She has not said her name in over a year." Sam's voice faltered a little and she took a deep breath as she wiped her eyes again. She was still staring out the window, "I…I never got a chance to tell her how much I loved her. That fucking hurts…I…I wanted her to know I loved her so much and now…now she will never know."

Carly brought Sam's hand to her lips and kissed it, "I think she knew, Sam. I believe she knew how much you loved her. Like when you felt her die…I think she could feel your love the same way."

Sam turned her head and smiled and kissed Carly gently on the lips. She just brushed them with her own lips and pulled back. "I never told anyone that…about how much I miss her. I…I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Carly nodded and put her head back on Sam's shoulder.

"Carly…what about you…how come…well…how come you act the way you do?"

Carly pulled her head back once more, "What do you mean?"

Sam chuckled, "Well…I…for this powerful vampire who can do shit with her mind and control people and kill two werewolves and…and most likely other shit I have not seen and deep down kind of hope I don't…well…with me you act like…I don't know. Like a normal person…I mean I feel I am the one who should be bowing at you feet and at your command and…well..." Sam lowered her voice, "Even when we have sex I am the one in control and you accept it. I just was curious."

Carly laughed, "Simple…I…I love you, Sam, and when I love someone that is how I am. You…you remind me of what it is like to…to be young again and in love. I…I have had other lovers in the past but you are the second person I have ever been in love with." Carly turned her body and face to Sam and gave her a mischievous smile, "Now if you want me to I could show you what I can do."

Sam shook her head, "No…I…I like you they way you are right now. I…I don't want to see what you could really do." There was something in Sam's voice that Carly did not like…it was fear.

Carly eased herself from Sam, "Why…why do you like me the way I am with you. Is it because I seem more human to you and less of a monster?"

Sam shrugged, "The truth…yeah that is it. I love you, Carly…but I…I am afraid of you and what you can do."

Carly gave Sam a harsh look, "Let me tell you something, Sam…it might be a benefit if you did know what I could do and the monster I can be, because believe me when I tell you this…Cassandra is a thousand times more of a monster than I ever was or can be! It had been kind of fun and games so far. The beating those werewolves gave you is nothing compared to what that girl can and will do to your body and even your mind. She loves to pay with her food before she eats it Sam. Remember that." Carly looked at Sam closely and Sam looked away. She did not want to hear this. She wanted to forget about Cassandra, werewolves, wereleopards, contract killers…everything. She just wanted Carly to be…normal and be in love with a normal person. She turned back to Carly.

"Yeah…I guess you are right…I…maybe I was not joking when I brought this shirt. Maybe it was a premonition…What happened to us in Vegas stays in Vegas…I…I don't think we should be involved like that anymore. We…we should keep it just as friends and we should stop playing house…we should focus on how I am going to get out of this shit I am in."

Carly stood up, "Fine…maybe even go further…I…maybe when we get back I should move out of your damned stuffy basement and go back to my nice apartment!"

Sam shrugged again, "Whatever." She turned her head to look out the window.

Carly moved to an empty seat across the isle and crossed her hands over her chest and looked at Sam one more time. The blonde did not even look her way. Sam did not want Carly to see her cry again. Once was enough for the night.

The two girls did not say another word to one another for the rest of the flight and the only words Sam said to Carly in the cab was if she could make her mom think they were not gone for a couple of days. Carly nodded. When the cab dropped them off a little after two in the morning they noticed a strange car parked in front of Sam's house. They noticed it was a rental. Carly told Sam she would go in first, which did not make Sam happy. She hated depending on other people for anything, and after Carly made her way to the door Sam quickly followed. Carly gave her a dirty look and Sam just gave her one back. Carly sighed as she opened the side door which lead to the kitchen and both girls saw Henry sitting at the small table drinking coffee. He looked up but did not smile. Sam did not think the man even knew how to genuinely smile. She had seen him smile cruel and chuckle cruelly but never in humor. She noticed he had a shoulder holster and a very big gun in the holster.

"Have a sit…I just started a pot of coffee, Sam." He sad and picked up the newspaper her was reading.

"How did you get in here? The locks we have on the doors are supposed to be lock pick proof? The man at the store told us." Sam asked.

Henry shrugged, "Yeah you need them in this neighborhood…but he was wrong. They can be picked." Henry stood up and handed Sam a piece of paper, "From your mother. Says she won't be home until the around six in the morning. Something about catching an extra shift at work and food is in the fridge. It's not too bad…she must be a pretty good cook. By the way, Sam, that baseball collection stuff your dad left you. It looks authentic. You need to hold on to it."

Sam just stared at him while Carly sat down at the table. "What are you doing here, Henry? And how did you know were we…I mean Sam lives."

Henry chuckled…and it was not humorous, "Carly…you know me better than that. It was easy to find her place. Now to business…have a seat, Sam." Sam sat down and Henry spread a map of the city on the table, "Ok…first what did Francis tell you?" Sam explained and told him about the werewolves beating her. Henry frowned at that.

"Strange…normally lycanthropes don't like the vamps…their Ulfric must not be strong if her needs their help to control the pack."

Carly shook her head, "No…I met him. Names Mathew and he is pretty powerful."

"Well that may complicate matters then. If Cassandra has the dog boys helping her they may be guarding her and her vamps while they rest in the day." He looked at Carly, "Now Carly…you mentioned to have been to her lair. Show me." Carly showed him on the map.

"She may have moved…but I doubt it. Cassandra's very intelligent and knows how to protect herself but she's also very arrogant and cocky. She knows she's the strongest in town and I would be next…but…well…she knows she can kill me very easily so I think she feels confident not to have moved after she showed me where she resides…plus…I think she wants me to come after her." Carly looked at Henry and then Sam, who looked a little pale, and back to Henry, "You know how she likes to play her games before she kills."

Henry nodded, "Yeah…and so did you. Which brings me to the next part…I want to know why, Carly…why are you so determined to go after her and help her." He pointed at Sam. "See I was thinking to myself…I thought maybe she is using me and the girl for a power struggle to take out Cassandra and then become Master…sorry…Mistress of the City. But then I thought…no she would never go for Seattle…Boston, New York, Atlanta, one of the more older cities sure. Hell maybe Rome or Paris even. Of course you are not strong enough to take most of the old cities in Europe. But then I thought…no Julia…sorry…Carly…is not into the political struggles of running a city's vampire world. So maybe revenge against Cassandra?" He looked at Carly and Sam noticed he did not look her in the eyes but focused on her mouth. "I mean…you were big on the revenge thing if I remember correctly and I know you owe Cassandra a lot. So why? Why do you want to go after Cassandra and why do you want to protect the girl?"

Carly looked at Sam when she answered, "I…I love her…that is why?"

Sam stared at Carly for a moment and turned her back, "I…I need a shower." Sam walked quickly from the room and stripped her clothes and got into the shower, letting the hot water fall over her ass she cried. She loved Carly but she did not want to.

After Sam left the room Henry looked at Carly not meeting her eyes. He stood up and poured another cup of coffee and sat back at the table. With Carly's help he marked the area on the city street map where Cassandra's lair was and made notes. "I need to scout the place first before we go in there. I need to know how many vampires she had and how many wolves she is using and any human servants her and her vamps may have."

Carly nodded, "Ok…tomorrow then. The cat you had us meet mentioned something about Sam's powers not being able to fully released until she turned eighteen and Sam said she will not be eighteen until three weeks. But he also said her powers were not that great anyway so I just can't understand why she wants her."

Henry shrugged, "I don't give a damn why she wants the girl. I am doing this to kill the bitch and nothing else. I owe her a debt and I hate unpaid debts."

Carly looked up from the map, "Does that include me? Will you hunt me after I help you kill Cassandra? How do I know you will not kill her and then kill me after that? You now know where I have been sleeping and how do I know you will not just walk in the basement and drive a stake in my heart tomorrow? Or if I leave here you may torture Sam to find out where I live and come get me there?"

Henry shrugged, "You don't…but I will make a deal with you. Until we kill Cassandra I will not go after you. I can't promise I will never come after you, Carly, but I can promise that you and I have no fight between us until Cassandra is dead."

Carly nodded, "I trust your word, Henry, so we have a deal. But I will warn you…I will not just lay there and let you destroy me. You know me better than that."

Henry grinned, "Yeah I do…so after Cassandra is done do you plan on taking over her position?"

Carly shook her head, "After we destroy her I will have no right. It has to be a fair challenge and I cannot beat her in a fair challenge. I think after we do this I am going to have to answer to the council for what we do. They frown on a Master of a City being killed by a vampire with human help. To them it is not fair. They will come after me."

Henry nodded, "Yes I think they will…and you are willing to risk that for the girl?"

Carly nodded, "Yes…I am."

Henry gave her a stunned look, "Well that is a surprise knowing your history. The girl is not up to what we have to do, Carly. She does not know death like we do. She will die if she goes with us or get me killed. "

Carly nodded, she noticed the man did not say 'we' but 'me', "Then we keep her out of it. You and I go after Cassandra and leave Sam out of it."

Henry nodded, "Ok we leave her out of it, but you cannot go in the day time and I am not going to try and kill a vampire…especially one as strong as Cassandra…when the sun goes down. So any suggestions?"

Carly shook her head, "No not now."

"Well after I look at her location I will think of something. I will come up with a plan. You saw her…are there any vampires she may control you cannot take? Any stronger than you?"

Carly shook her head, "No…I did not sense any. I can handle her entourage and her pets." She looked at Henry who was making notes on the map and studying it and smiled, "You know, Henry, my father would have liked you. You would have made a good general for one of his legions."

Henry smiled but did not look up, "Why Julia…that is one of the nicest things anyone has ever told me. Just wished we had some others to help. Just you and me…it's going to be tough."

"What about me?" Both the man and Carly turned to the kitchen entrance and saw Sam dressed in long pajama shorts and a tee shirt. Carly could tell she was not wearing a bra and Henry ignored it. He may have been a sociopath and a cold blooded killer but he was not a pervert. She was using a towel to dry her long blonde hair. Carly noticed a silver chain peaking out of the tee shirt and knew Sam had put her cross back on. That gesture made Carly's chest tighten. Not I fear of the unseen cross but in sadness Sam thought she may need it around her.

"No! You are not going!" Carly said harshly.

Sam stared at her, "Fuck that! It is my life we are talking about here. I am the one who got the shit kicked out of me by those damn werewolves and almost died! I am the one who this bitch wants for God only knows what! I am helping!"

Henry stood and pulled his pistol from the shoulder holster slowly in a non threatening manner. He offered it to Sam butt first. "Take it…go ahead take it." He said calmly. "Its loaded so be careful."

Sam slowly reached her hand out and took the gun. It was heavier than she thought it would be. She held it like it was going to bite her. "Now what?"

Henry smiled, "Point it at me and pull the trigger."

Both Sam and Carly gave him a shocked look, "I…I…you want me to…to shoot you?"

Henry nodded, "Yeah…just point it at my chest and pull the trigger. It is loaded with silver coated bullets…go ahead and do it!" He yelled the last part.

Sam shook her head, "I…I can't…I…I can't."

Henry looked at the girl, "What if I told you that when I came here tonight you mother was home. She standing by the counter in this kitchen writing you that note, Sam. I crept up on her and slit her throat. It was so easy, girl, so very easy. She did not even have time to struggle. I put her body in the basement and cleaned up." The man stared at her with cold dead eyes and Sam believed him. She dropped to her knees and let the pistol fall on the floor and covered her face with her hands.

"Noooo! Nooo! Why…why did you kill my mommy?"

Henry smiled and it was cold and lifeless, "Pick up the gun, Sam. Use it to kill me for killing your mother. Murder me like I murdered her."

Sam did not even look up at him as she cried. Carly knelt on the floor beside her and held her tight. She looked up at Henry, "Bastard…you bastard! You proved your point!" Carly hissed. She knew the man was lying and after Carly spoke so did Sam.

Henry sighed and picked up his gun, "You did not even take the safety off. She stays."

Sam looked up at him, "No! I…I am going!"

Henry glared at her, "Why, girl! You could not even pull the trigger on a man that confessed to killing your mother. What makes you think you can do what needs to be done."

Sam stood up, "Because she is not human! Cassandra is a monster! That is the difference…she is a vampire and a monster!" Sam's face was determined and twisted in anger.

Henry nodded, "Tomorrow you and I go to the gun range. If you are going to do this you need to know how to use a gun."

Carly stared at Sam after her outburst and she felt her chest get tighter and tears well up in her eyes. She was angry and hurt that the girl she loved thought she was also a monster. She slowly made her way to her feet and grabbed her duster that was lying on top of her luggage she had taken on their short trip. She slipped the duster on and made her way to the door. Henry looked up on her.

"Where are you going?"

Carly did not look at him but kept her eyes in Sam, "A monster has to feed…_it_ is hungry." She said as she turned and opened the door. "When I get back I'll move my things back to my apartment and leave the address with Henry in case he needs to get in touch with me. Give him my cell number." Carly said without emotion and walked out of the house and closed the door behind her. Neither Sam nor Henry saw the tears that ran down her cheeks.

Sam made no attempt to stop her and turned to Henry and pointed at his gun, "Teach me…teach me how use that." She said and sat down across from Henry.

Henry nodded. "To kill vampires?"

Sam shook her head, "No just to kill one of them."

The man frowned, "What about Carly? Could you kill her?"

Sam stared at him for a moment and shook her head. Henry sighed and stood up, "She is a vampire, Sam, that means she is evil. She would kill you and drink your blood with no regrets."

Sam shook her head again, "No…I don't believe that. She…she is not like that. She is not like Cassandra."

Henry started to unbutton his burgundy colored long sleeved dress shirt and Sam suddenly got afraid at not knowing what he was doing. The man ignored her and exposed his chest. Sam saw scars on his chest and over his left breast. Terrible scars like he had been burned. Henry ran his finger over the scars and looked at Sam.

"This is why I owe Cassandra and why I agreed to help you. I don't care about your reasons, girl. She did this to me eight years ago. She kept me prisoner for days and would feed on me. She got humor out of feeding on the Reaper…the man who destroyed numbers of her kind. She fed close to my heart and is amused her. And every time she did it your vampire girlfriend held me down to help her and laughed in my suffering. Carly even begged her mistress to let her feed from me but Cassandra denied her. She wanted the pleasure all to herself. When a vampire feeds they can make it pleasant for their victims…like sex or better…but Cassandra did not allow that. Instead she rolled my mind and made it worse. I had to use holy water to purify the wounds. It burns like acid, Sam, and left the scars." He buttoned up his shirt as Sam stared at his cold eyes. She was afraid of him and the deadness in his eyes.

"I know Carly better than you do, Sam. I know what she is and what she has done." He walked to the door and turned around to see Sam still staring at him and he gave her a cold heartless smile, "I will pick you up in the morning and I will teach you how to use a gun and about killing vampires…not just one of them but all of them." He left the house leaving Sam alone in the kitchen sitting in the chair. Sam drew her legs up to her chest and hugged them. She was suddenly very afraid to be alone.


	20. Chapter 20

Sam sat in the chair and waited for Carly to come back. She was processing all that Henry had hinted and told her about the vampire girl. On the surface of her mind she could not believe it or did not want to but deep down she knew it was true. She gripped her cross tight as she waited. Sam knew she loved Carly and she knew she did not want to but it was there and it was strong. So strong it overwhelmed her just thinking about it made her body tighten and when she thought about the night they made love other parts of her body tightened and she felt the moisture between her legs. Sam shook her head and drove that thought from her mind and focused on other things. Carly was vampire and promised she would never hurt her. Even Henry took the vampire girl at her word. She showed Sam nothing but kindness and even love. Sam thought maybe Carly had changed and was not longer the evil bloodsucker she had been. Hell, Sam changed over the last year and a half since her sister died. She was no longer the school bully and even through she still played the occasion particle joke on the other students and teachers at school she no longer got into serious trouble like she did in the past. She could see the anger in Carly's face at times, not directed at her but at others and it scared her. She also discovered Carly had a jealous streak in her when the girl Amber flirted with Sam. Carly looked like she was going to kill the wereleopard girl. Sam did not like that. She did not like jealousy. But maybe Carly had changed if she could change so could Carly. Sam hoped that was true.

She did not know how long she waited and did not care. She was tired and wanted to sleep but she had to talk to Carly. To apologize to the girl for what she had said. The blonde looked up as the kitchen door opened and saw Carly standing in the doorway. Her heart fluttered at the sight of the beautiful brunette girl and she gave Carly a small shy smile. Carly did not look as pale as she had when she left the house and Sam knew she had fed. She wanted to ask Carly who she had killed but did not. It was best not to know everything.

Carly looked at Sam and did not enter the house, "May I come in?" She asked.

Sam nodded, "You don't have to ask…I told you that you were welcome here."

Carly nodded, "Yes but I wanted to make sure. I just need to get my things and I will be out of your way." Carly walked past Sam and Sam reached up and grabbed her arm. When she did she pulled back quickly. She felt a jolt of power like electricity moving through her body and it made the hairs on her arms stand up. It was a pleasant feeling. Not sexual but sensual. It felt like when the wereleopard girl Amber had touched her.

"What…what the hell was that?" Sam asked.

Carly stood motionless and could not move for a moment. She had felt the power surge as well. "I…I don't know…it felt like you were trying to absorb my energy and trying to sense my power." Carly sat down in the chair. "Touch me again Sam…focus on me."

Sam shyly took Carly's hand in hers and again she felt the power rush over her body and then her mind. She wanted to pull back not in pain…the sensation was too pleasant…but in fear as Carly's power overwhelmed her. Carly held on to Sam.

"No…don't…hold me. Don't pull back. Focus on me, Sam."

Sam was afraid but did as the girl asked and suddenly she could feel Carly. She could sense something that she was not there before. Her eyes flew wide open as she stared at the vampire. "What do you feel, Sam…tell me?"

Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I…I can feel your age…you are old. I can feel your strength and your power…I…I know what you can do with your mind and…and your other powers. You can levitate and…and..and…No! I…I can't!" Sam screamed and forced her hand from Carly's and her body started shaking. She wanted to cry but to her credit she held her tears in.

Carly stared at her, "That…whew…that was…I don't know. I never felt that before. It was like you were reading me and my powers like a book. You were not in my mind but you were reading me."

Sam looked up and nodded, "I…what happened? Is it because I drank your blood?"

Carly shook her head, "No…that has never been that effect…I…I think you can do that with any vampire. Read them and their powers. I…I don't know but I have a strong feeling that damn cat in Vegas lied to us, Sam. I think he knows more than he is telling." Carly stood up and started pacing and Sam saw the anger on her face. "Maybe I should pay him another visit and make him tell me what he knows."

Sam looked up at Carly and anger rose up in her, "Sit down, Carly! I…I don't want you going there and doing anything stupid! They helped me and don't deserve your anger!" Carly glared at Sam and the blonde girl flinched but Carly took a deep breath and sat down. She stared at Sam.

"Why…aren't I one of the monsters. You said that yourself. I am a vampire so I am one of the monsters." Her voice was no longer angry but sad.

Sam smiled weakly and looked in Carly's eyes. She wanted to reach out and grab the girl but was afraid of the power it would release. "Carly, I…I am sorry I said that. I did not mean you. I meant Cassandra. I…I'm scared, Carly, and I want this to be over and everything to be normal again."

Carly chuckled, "Normal…Sam you life is never going to be normal." Carly was looking at the floor.

Sam shrugged, "Yeah I don't think it is. Look at me, Carly…please." Carly looked at Sam and smiled. "I…I do love you Carly. I did not lie about that and God I want you so bad and want to make love to you forever…but I can't. I…I need this to be over and then maybe we can have something."

Carly ran her hand through her hair and brushed it away from her face. It was a normal gesture that Sam found very sexy. "You…you don't mind being in love with a vampire."

Sam shrugged, "It is not a matter of me minding it or not…it just is. You can't change who you are and I can't change who I am. All I know is I love you but I am asking for time. And…I…I don't see you as a monster, Carly."

Carly smiled again, "I will give you that time, Samantha, I…I will wait and even if you reject me I will never hurt you and I will always be there for you."

Sam returned Carly's smile, "And I will be there for you too…but now I am going to go to sleep. I am beat. I…I wish you could hold me while I slept but I am scared of what may happen."

Carly nodded, "Yeah…that surge of energy was…well…pleasant but I never felt anything like it. We need to find out what it is."

Sam grinned, "Yeah…ummm…well…I was not thinking of that. I was thinking of other things that may happen…like…umm…I am afraid I would end up fucking your brains out."

Carly laughed, "Watch you're cursing…but that does sound delightful. There is another way…without touching."

Sam blushed, "I…I can't let you watch me do that, Carly…in some things I am still a prude. I can't let you watch me touch myself."

Carly giggled, "No…not that. If you let me into your mind we could dream together…we can be in one another's dreams and make love. It would feel the same as the real thing."

Sam shook her head, "I…I don't know. I mean…I…no…I can't do that. I am sorry."

Carly nodded and was not angry, "I understand…but a girl has to try." Sam laughed and stood up.

"Nite, Carly…I do love you."

Carly smiled back, "And I love you, Samantha. No go get your rest and listen to Henry as he teaches you…he is the best about killing vampires…hell he is the best at killing anything for a human."

Sam nodded and leaned down close to Carly's face, "I…I want to risk it. I…I need to kiss you, Carly."

Carly nodded and Sam gently brushed her lips and nothing happened. No power surge. No magic of a supernatural kind. The only magic the two girls felt was that of lust and love. Carly drew Sam closer and the gently kiss turned into a more passionate one as both girls opened their mouth and their tongues met. Sam moaned and straddle Carly, grabbing her hair and pulling if back to expose her neck. Sam's lips left Carly's mouth and her tongue ran up Carly's neck and the brunette girl moaned in pleasure. Sam pulled away and looked down at Carly and saw the girl panting and wanting more. She stood up and grinned.

"I changed my mind…I want you to hold me as I sleep."

Carly grinned back, "Why, Samantha, I do believe you are trying to seduce me."

Sam laughed, "No…that is already done. I…I want you, Carly…I need you to make love to me." Sam pulled Carly up and the two girls walked hand in hand as Sam lead Carly too her bedroom. "So we have time…before the sun comes up?"

Carly nodded, "Yes, baby, we have time." Sam smiled.

Sam woke and smiled as she stretched her arms above her head. She rolled over and found Carly was gone. The girl must have left her after she feel asleep and escaped to he dark basement. Sam grabbed the pillow that Carly was using and sniffed it. She smiled at the scent of Carly and sex. To her it was the best smell to wake up to. Better than the smell of bacon. The only thing missing was Carly being next to her. Sam got out of bed and put her pajama bottoms back on and her tee shirt and walked from her room. When she opened the door she smelled bacon and pancakes. Her mom must be home and made her breakfast. Something her mother rarely did because she normally did not have time. It was Saturday morning and Sam's mother normally had to get be at her job early. Sam made her way to the kitchen and saw her mother standing over the stove frying more bacon and she was humming to herself. Her mom never hummed to herself ever since her sister died. They thought of her sister made her sad. Sam missed Melanie a lot even through they did not spend much time together after she went away to that prep school. Sam regretted that and wished she could have a do over to get to know her sister so much better. She sometimes believed…well she always believed her mother loved her sister more than her. That thought hurt her but she understood. Melanie was the good one and Sam was the bad one. Sam stared at her mother for a while and thought how pretty the woman was and how much prettier she could have been if working so hard had not taken some of her looks away. She smiled.

"Morning, mom, smells good. What is the special occasion?" Sam asked and chuckled as her mother jumped at being startled. Her mother turned around and smiled.

"Well good morning sleepy head. I thought you were going to sleep all day. Freddie called five times already and some man called you and left a number." Mrs. Puckett wiped her hands on a towel and handed Sam a note. Sam looked at it and all it had was a number. She figured it was Henry.

"I hope you are not in any trouble…again."

Sam looked up and smiled, "No…just a friend. So tell me why the big breakfast. You haven't done this in a long time. Not since Melanie…not in a long time."

Mrs. Puckett gave Sam a brief sad look and quickly turned her head. "Just because I wanted to…now are you going to eat or do you have plans like breaking into someone's house or maybe an armed robbery?" The woman said harshly. Sam knew why she was upset. It was the slip of using her sister's name. Sam sat at the table and piled pancakes on her plate and bacon. She poured syrup on the pancakes and over the bacon as well.

"No…nothing devious…just going out with a friend…to the movies or something." Sam said without looking at her mom. She knew the mood her mom was now in and knew it was best for her to just keep the conversation short. She stuffed a large amount of pancake into her mouth.

"God…you eat like a pig! You have terrible table manners. No wonder you don't have any boyfriends." Her mother said in a calm voice. Sam chewed her food and swallowed.

"Yes, m'am…sorry." She muttered. It was not going to be a good breakfast. She tried to eat faster so she could hurry up and leave.

"Don't you have work today?" Sam asked.

The woman turned back to the stove and placed the cooked bacon on a plate. "Not until later this afternoon. I go the afternoon and night shift. I am pulling a double today."

"I…I wish you would take it easy for at least one weekend, mom." Sam said after she finished another mouthful of food. Her mom turned around quickly holding a spatula in her hand and was using it to point at Sam. Bacon grease flew off the end.

"Yeah wouldn't that be just lovely! But who would pay the bills then? Who would pay for food for our table? You? You are too damn lazy to get a job! And now I have another mouth to feed with your friend here…and hell all she does is sleep all day! She is just as lazy as you are if not worse!" The woman screamed at Sam.

Sam sighed and put her fork down on her plate, "I'm not hungry. I'll be in my room." She started to leave when she felt the spatula hit her bare arm hard.

"You sit your ass back down at the table and finish your food! I went through all this trouble for you and you are being an ungrateful little brat!"

Sam sat back down, "Well fuck you too." She muttered but not quietly enough. She felt her mother's hand slap across her face hard. Hard enough to leave an imprint of the woman's hand on her cheek. Sam just stared at her mom and tears welled up in her eyes. It was not due to pain but more of her heart breaking. Regardless of how many times Sam had been punished for doing the things she did her mother never slapped her like she just did. Yes when she was little she got spankings and as she got older the spankings turned to being grounded, but never did her mother ever slap her face. The look of shock on her face matched the look of shock on her mother's.

"Samantha…I…I am so sorry…I…oh God I am sorry…I…I don't know what got into me." Mrs. Puckett said and dropped to her knees in front of Sam and tried to take her daughters face gently into her hands. Sam pushed her away.

"I know why…I know what got into you today! Just because I mentioned Melanie's name you get like this. She's dead mom and God I miss her so much but she is gone! You can't keep avoiding the subject! Do you know I want to talk about her? I want to talk to someone about the great times I had with her and share memories about her with someone…but…but I can't!" Sam started crying as her mother stood back up and started cleaning some of the dishes with her back turned. Sam stood up. "And do you know why I can't share stories with anyone…its because there is no one to share with but you and you pretend like she never existed! God you cannot even look me in the eyes anymore after she died can you! Don't think I did not notice…I see it mom…I see how much you hate me and wish it was me that died and not her! I loved her too mom…I loved her so much and I hate the fact that when we got older we grew apart. Do you remember how close we were when we were younger? Do you? I do…I remember all of it!" Sam was crying in her anger and the pain inside her. "See even now you can't look at me! I…I am sorry I did not die instead of her! That is all I can give you, mom. My apology for it being her and not me that died!" Sam stormed out of the room and ran to her bedroom slamming the door shut behind her. She buried her face in the pillow Carly had used hoping the scent would take her pain away. It did not work.

Mrs. Puckett fell to her knees on the kitchen floor and started crying. She placed her hands in her head and sobbed. "I am sorry Samantha…I am so sorry. I…I never wished it was you and not her…I hope you will see that one day. I just wish I had both of my little girls back." After a while she got off the floor, wiped her eyes, and started cleaning the kitchen before she had to go to work. She walked to her bedroom and paused by the door to Sam's room and she could hear her daughter crying. She wanted to open the door and hug her daughter and tell her how much she loved her. She wanted so much to hold Sam and cry with her and talk about Melanie. To share tears and laughter over those memories with her daughter who she loved but she didn't; the pain was still to much to bare. She put her hand on the door, "I don't hate you, Sam; I love you so much." She whispered and backed away from the door and walked to her room to get ready for work.

Sam heard her mother in the shower and called Freddie. Freddie picked up quickly and asked about her trip to Los Vegas. Sam told her everything except the part about her and Carly having sex and Carly killing the werewolves. She told Freddie about the attack but that was all. She told Freddie about Henry and asked him if he wanted to come along but he declined telling her he promised Kelly they would go to the movies. Sam wanted to beg him to go…she needed someone to talk to and truthfully Henry scared the piss out of her and she was not looking forward to being alone with him. One other thing gave Sam a small jolt of fear while talking to Freddie. The boy seemed obsessed with hearing all about the wereleopards just as he was with Carly. Sam did not understand why that frightened her but it did. She hung up and called Henry and got an answering service. She left her name and number and waited for the man to call her back as she got dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. She put her long hair in a pony tail behind her head. As she was waiting and getting dressed she decided she would ask Carly to use her vampire power on her mom again…but this time to make the woman forget she ever had another daughter. She was going to ask Carly to make it permanent. Sam wanted to take the pain away from her mother and she wanted her mother to love her again. Her cell phone rang and it was Henry. He told her he would pick her up in about fifteen minutes and mentioned he brought plenty of hardware for Sam to learn how to use. Sam assumed her meant guns.


	21. Chapter 21

Sam's mother left for work before Henry got there. He did not even get out of the car but just honked the horn. Sam walked outside and locked the door and ran to the car. She got in the passenger side and smiled at Henry, "Don't date a lot huh?" She asked in a teasing voice. The man just grunted as her started to drive.

"I mean normally when a guy picks a girl up it is polite to come to the door and get her." Sam said still teasing.

"Do you love your mother?" Henry asked and the smile vanished from Sam's face. She stared down at the floorboard of the car and at the hole in her canvas tennis shoe.

"I…I don't want to play this game again." She muttered under her breath.

"Answer me, girl. Do you love your mother and want to see her safe." Henry said in a cold voice.

Sam's head jerked up as anger flowed through her, "Of course I fucking love her and want to see her safe. And my name is Sam…not girl!"

Henry looked at her and Sam could have sworn her smiled briefly. "We need to get her out of town for a couple if months at the least or until we kill Cassandra. Cassandra will use any means she has to hurt you, Sam. That includes your mother. Maybe she needs a vacation."

Sam laughed, "Yeah…and how the hell is she going to afford that? In case you noticed we aren't related to Donald Trump or anything."

"Reach in the back and grab that suitcase…be careful there's a gun in there."

Sam reached behind her and pulled a leather suitcase and placed it on her lap. "Open it." Henry said. Sam opened it and saw a small pistol on top of some papers. "Take out the gun, it's not loaded, and there is a plane ticket and an all expense paid vacation for a month in there to Hawaii and a certified check for forty thousand dollars. That should be plenty for spending money and to cover the loss of pay from her job. Tell her something like you registered her for a sweepstake and she won."

Sam smiled and wanted to hug the man but something in his eyes stopped her. "Thanks…I mean really thank you. Knowing her she will ask where I stole it from."

Henry chuckled and for the first time since she met him Sam heard humor in his laugh. She grinned. She placed the pistol back in the brief case and he stopped her. "The pistol is yours. A Browning High Powered Nine Millimeter Practical…it's a good gun with a lot of stopping power but light enough for you to use. You are to young to get a license until you are eighteen in this state so don't get caught with it. This is what I am going to teach you to shoot for your main gun, but we are also going to use a shotgun."

Sam looked at the gun and held it in her hand. It was lighter than the one Henry made her hold last night and it was chrome plated with a rubber grip on the pistol. Holding it made her feel scared but also powerful. She gently placed it in the suitcase and turned to Henry. "I…I can't pay you back for this…any of this."

Henry shrugged, "Don't worry about it. The gun is a gift and the trip and money is worth it because if your mom was around that just gives Cassandra another weapon to use and it could affect my life."

Sam grinned, "Your life…what about mine?" Henry glanced at her and then back to the rode.

"Number one rule, Sam, in hunting monsters…you never give the humans to the monsters. If possible you get yourself and them out of there. If you can't save them …you put a bullet in the person head so the monster does not get them…and save one for yourself. Remember that."

Sam stared at him wide eyed and swallowed hard, "Ok…I…I will. I…I thought a gun could not kill a vampire?"

Henry nodded, "Normally no. You will use silver bullets in the gun. Well silver plated. Pure silver would cost too much and plating is fine. It won't kill a vampire unless it is a direct head shot and takes it's head off but it will slow them down a great deal and it hurts them. Regular bullets don't even phase a vamp. Now if you can pump three or four rounds in its heart then that may kill it but with a vampire you don't have that much time. They move to fast. A shotgun works best close range. Load it with silver buckshot and it can take a vamps head right off if you are close enough and a load of buckshot to the heart is a way to kill it or knock it on its ass for a long time. Wereanimals are different. A regular bullet hurts like hell for them like anyone getting shot. But they heal fast as well and will eventually heal a bullet wound. But silver will kill them. A couple of shots to the chest with a silver bullet will take it out."

And so the lesson started for Sam on how to kill the monsters. Henry lectured to her and Sam took in all in. She absorbed a lot on that car ride out of the city and he would even verbally quiz her and she got it all the answers right. She asked questions like the wooden stake in the heart and Henry told her some of the old myths were true. He told her that when he kills a sleeping vampire he uses a wooden stake in the heart and then cuts off its head. He told Sam he always carried a gym bag of wooden stakes, a rubber mallet, and a very sharp machete in his trunk…just in case. That was the best way to kill one. He told Sam if you have time to drag the body and head in the sunlight and let it burn and how vampires feared fire. Fire purifies everything and the "vamps" go up like kindling and when they burn they burn fast and there is nothing left but ash. No bones or teeth.

At the firing range Henry gave Sam a shoulder holster for the pistol and showed her how to strap it on and even advised the best ways to conceal it. She fired the gun and it scared her at first but after a while she got used to it and Henry even commented how well she was doing. He brought out the shotgun which reminded Sam of the ones she had seen on television with the pistol grip and short barrel. He showed her how to use it and the first time she shot it she ended up on the ground on her butt. After a several shots with the shotgun and handed her another shotgun and this one was sawed off but had a stock to it so she could press it on her shoulder. They fired that one a lot as well. Sam was actually enjoying the lessons and loved shooting the pistol. Henry did yell at her one time when she wanted to get cute and flashy and she shot the gun with one hand. He told her only shoot with one hand when you have no choice. Use the two handed grip so you can aim better. Sam nodded. After at the outdoor gun range they packed up and headed back into the city. Sam had put her gun and holster back in the brief case and Henry told her next her was going to teach her to clean it when they got home. Sam groaned at that. The man also told Sam never pull any gun unless she was sure she was going to use it. Never use it as a threat unless you are damn sure you will pull the trigger. Sam nodded. When Sam tried to talk about anything else such as the man's personal life her would never answer. He did not change the subject; he just stared at the road and waited until Sam changed the subject.

They pulled in the city close to sundown and Henry and Sam went into the house and Sam needed to do one more thing before Carly woke and before she let Henry show her how to clean the guns. She went into her room and pulled a piece of paper out of her top draw. It was a phone number. She picked up her cell and dialed the number.

"Hello?' The female voice said on the other end.

"Anita…it's me, Sam…the girl…"

Sam heard pleasant laughter, "I remember you, dear. So how may I help you?"

"Well…you told me to call you in case I started having well…you know…"

Again the laughter, "You can say it, Sam, it won't kill you. So have you experienced any more power or magic?" Sam explained what she felt with Carly.

"Amazing…well I can't help you…not because I don't want to but Francis has ordered the pard not to get involved with your…umm problem. But I know who can and she will be delighted to. Her name is Miriam and I'll call her and she will be in touch."

"Thanks, Anita…I'll keep it a secret like you told me to…I…well thank you."

"My pleasure, child, and, Sam…please be safe."

"I will." Sam hung up the phone and went to go clean her pistol.

Sam was sitting in the kitchen with Henry and watching him take apart the pistol with rapt attention. He put it back together and had her do it. She did it on the first try and then she cleaned it. After she was done cleaning it he had her put it back together and she did. Next Henry got the two shotguns and broke them down and Sam cleaned one as Henry cleaned to other. While they were cleaning the guns Carly walked into the kitchen and Sam looked up and smiled. Carly was wearing a long silk red robe that fit her body like a glove and made her white skin seem even paler. Sam thought she looked sexy.

"Damn that gun oil smells terrible. I could smell it downstairs." She said as she walked by the two and then felt Sam grab her arm gently and pull her close. Sam wrapped her arm around Carly's waist and buried her head into the vampire's stomach. There was no jolt of power this time. Carly ran her hand through the girl's long blonde hair. She was surprised by Sam's display of affection and thought the sex they had the previous night was just a one time thing until the girl got her feelings in order. Sam had told Carly she only wanted to be friends until her life got back to some type of normality. Carly kissed the top of Sam's head and glanced at Henry. He ignored the two girls and continued to clean his shotgun.

"What is the hug for? Not that I am complaining."

Sam let go and blushed, "I…I just wanted to hug you…that's all."

Carly smiled down at her and leaned down and the two quickly kissed. "Yuck…evening breath!" Sam said and Carly laughed.

"Well you smell of gunpowder and gun oil. I much prefer your jasmine scent. But I do need to take a shower and brush my teeth."

Sam smiled, "Don't forget the fangs…brush them really good."

Carly laughed again, "I am glad to see you in a good mood." She turned and walked out of the room and Sam's eyes followed her. For the first time Sam truly watched Carly walk and if she was asked to describe it she would not have used the word walk. It was much more graceful. Her whole body moved in perfect rhythm like a ballet. She was so graceful as she walked and Sam made a mental note to watch her movements all the time. She looked at Henry and he was slightly shaking his head.

"What? Are you going to start?" Sam asked

Henry looked up, "No…if you enjoy having sex with a corpse then by all means knock yourself out. Just remember what I told you about her."

"You don't like her very much do you?"

Henry shook his head, "No I don't like her at all. I don't like her kind."

"What about werewolves and other things like that?"

Henry put his shotgun back together, "Lycanthropes are different. There is no inherent evil in them. If they were evil before they got infected then they will use their new power for evil. I personally know and have worked along side wereanimals before. I have no problem with them as a whole. If one tried to kill me then I kill him or her. If I take a contract to kill a lycanthrope then I kill him."

"How come vampires can't be the same? I mean…well Carly…before she was Carly may have been a good person. From the checking her out online history said she was. So how come she cannot be good now?"

"Sam, you are young and naive…not that that is bad…it is you...just don't let it get you killed. Vampirism is a curse Sam…it is not a disease…it is an evil curse. If Gandhi or Mother Theresa were turned into vampires they would rise as evil. They live off the blood of living humans were most lycanthropes actually prefer to eat animals they can catch. True some…the corrupt ones…will feed off human flesh…and there are a lot of them that do…but for the most part they prefer animals. Vampires need human blood to live and they don't care who they get it from. Twelve years ago when I first started hunting vamps and other pernatural creatures I was in a small village in France. The local priest contacted me through a mutual acquaintance and told me about a vampire in their village killing and feeding off people. The priest knew it was a vampire because he had worked in the Vatican and was a member of a particular order of priesthood that is aware of vampires, werewolves, fey beings, demons, etc. The vampire turned out to be a young girl of twenty and after I destroyed her and the village saw who it was everyone was shocked because in life they told me she had been the kindest, sweetest person they had ever met and hoping to become a nun." Henry placed the shotgun against the wall. "They turn evil, Sam, and that is what they are. They are the damned."

"I…I just don't believe it…she is not evil. You even trust her."

Henry sighed, "I trust her word. I do not trust her."

Sam shook her head, "I…I think you are wrong, Henry."

Henry shrugged, "You can but I have over fifty vampire kills and I have yet to meet one who shook my hand and told me he wanted to be friends. They take human servants and can enslave humans but they only do it for their own need not because they are friendly to that human."

"But Carly told me a human servant is like an equal to a vampire."

Henry smiled, "A human servant is a human…and a lot come voluntary to the vampire but some do not…who is marked four times. Not bitten…that is more of a slave…but marked mentally by a vampire. The marks are mental not physical. Only a master vampire like Carly or Cassandra can make a human servant. Each mark has it's own powers for both the vampire and the human. One of the marks allows the vampire to even taste food the human servant eats. The fourth mark…the binding mark…gives the human servant 'immortality' they call it. Oh they can be killed like any human but their lifespan is like that of a vampire and they can draw upon their masters powers…like strength. The draw back is…if their Master is destroyed then the human servant dies. It also can work the other way. Kill a vampire's human servant and the Master is most likely to be destroyed. But they are not partners. The vampire still controls the servant but he is also sworn to protect that servant. If someone hurts the master's servant then the master hurts or kills that person. There is a lot more to it but that is the short version."

Sam put looked up from cleaning the shotgun and tried to study Henry. She was a pretty good judge of character but he was just blank to her like he had no emotions. "So are you some type of holy warrior who goes around slaying evil?" She finally asked.

Henry looked at her with his cold eyes, "No. I don't work for the Vatican. I work for myself. Someone hires me to do a job I do it."

"So you get paid to kill vampires and other monsters?"

Henry smiled and that smile sent a chill up Sam's spine and she felt goose bumps of her arms. "If the price is right I'll take a contract to kill anyone or anything."

Sam swallowed hard and handed the man back his clean shotgun. "I'm hungry and was going to order Chinese. Would you like to stay?"

Henry placed the shotgun in a carry bag and shook his head. "No. I'll pick you up tomorrow…later in the afternoon and we will go to the range again. I need to scout over Cassandra's resting place. Wear your cross…at all times. I am going to place Holy Communion wafers around the doors and windows to keep out any vampires."

"But I thought you had to invite them in?" Sam asked.

Henry nodded, "You do but they can make invite them in when they mesmerize you. This will keep them out." He stood up and Sam gently grabbed his arm.

"Please…please stay tonight? Mom won't be home until around ten in the morning and you can sleep in my room and I'll take hers."

"Why…you should be safe with Carly here. The only vampire around here that can beat her is Cassandra. And you have your gun for any werewolves and Carly can help with those."

"Is she that strong…Cassandra…that she could really beat Carly in a fight?"

Henry sat back down, "A battle between two Master Vampires is not a slug fest or brawl, Sam. It is a contest of power and will. I have seen only one and it is not pretty. The magical energy and power that flows makes you hair stand on end and can knock you on your ass. They hurt one another's bodies but the main goal is to destroy the other's mind and will. And yes…Carly would not stand a chance in hell against Cassandra. If she challenged Cassandra she would be destroyed."

Sam let out a breath she did not know she was holding, "I…I don't want her to get hurt. Not for me. I…I don't like it when people try to protect me. I mean I am grateful and all…but I don't want anyone to die for me or get hurt for me. I…hell I don't know what I am trying to say I guess."

Henry smiled at her, "I do, Sam, you are a strong willed person. I noticed that when I tried to help you today carry the bag with the guns in it. It was heavy but you were not going to let me help you. I saw that in your eyes and I respect that. Other small things also when you were so determined I saw the look in your eyes and the fact you won't let anyone do something for you that you are not willing to do. It shows me something."

"What…that I am a stubborn brat…that's what my mom says."

Henry chuckled, "Well that too…but no it shows me you may have what it takes."

"Takes what?"

"To be a shooter, Sam. To be able to pull the trigger when you have to and to be able to kill when you have to. I know a lot of people who can shoot and shoot well, but they cannot pull the trigger when they have to. They are not like me…like you can be."

Sam felt her mouth go dry, "I…you make me sound like some type of crazed serial killer or sociopath."

Henry shook his head, "No…you are not that…but being a little bit of a sociopath does help." He stood up again.

"Henry…please stay."

He looked down at Sam, "Why?"

Sam smiled and blushed, "I…I would feel safer if you did." She did not want to tell the man the real reason. Sam liked him for some reason even if she was a little afraid…a lot…afraid of him and he was a cold blooded killer and maybe a sociopath. But she liked him and looked at him as a father figure. She never had that and it felt nice for her even if it was teaching her how to kill someone and not teaching her to through a baseball. Sam had a brief thought maybe Henry was right. Maybe she did have a little sociopath in her.

He sighed, "Ok…I will stay..." he laughed, "It will be worth it just to see the look on Carly's face when she finds out I am staying." Sam giggled and suddenly she stopped.

"The holy thingamajigs you are going to put around the house…you can't can you? I mean with Carly here and all."

Henry frowned, "Well…they will keep her in and not let her go out. Ask her if she needs to go out tonight. We can move it and put it back and then when she wants to come back in we can move it again."

Sam nodded and smiled, "Great…I'll go order the food and tell Carly you are staying."

Henry nodded and set about his task on protecting the home from vampires. Sam told Carly as she got out of the shower and the vampire girl was not very happy and said few words the rest of the night. She didn't go out and feed because she did not trust Henry to remove the holy wafers when she wanted to get back in. Henry was also very quite but not just due to his dislike for Carly. Sam realized her was just a quite person in general. It was not the pleasant night Sam had hoped for but she did sleep very soundly that night knowing she was safe as Carly lay next to her in the bed and Henry sleeping in her room. She declined Carly's attempt to seduce her and have sex…she was still trying to get her emotions for Carly figured out. She knew she loved Carly but she did not know if they could work. There was just a lot of "what ifs" and other things she needed to figure out when it came to a relationship with a vampire.

The next week went almost the same with only two differences. One was her mother did get out of town and went on her trip. Sam was a little…well a lot…disappointed her mother did not even hug her goodbye. She just told Sam not to destroy the house or get put in jail while she was gone. Sam would have bet if she had been her sister it would have been a tear filled parting with a lot of hugs and sobbing of "I will miss you." Sam was in a terrible mood the rest of the day. The second thing was Sam had two more house guests staying with her.


	22. Chapter 22

It was the third day after the first night Henry slept over and Sam's mom had already left on her "free" trip. Sam was asleep alone in her bed, Carly had gotten up before the sun rose to go into the basement; she knew Sam could not handle sleeping with her when the sun rose and she feel into her dead sleep. Sam asked Carly to stay with her while she fell asleep but made she Carly knew it was for comfort only and not sex. Sam did not know how long she was going to be able to hold out before she gave in to her desire for Carly but so far so good. But damn it was hard! Sam woke to someone ringing her doorbell and she looked at the clock and saw it was only a little after eight in the morning. She cursed aloud and rolled out of bed. She made her way to the front door when a hand grabbed her and she would have screamed but the hand was over her mouth. She was gently turned and saw Henry holding her with one hand and in his other was his gun. He motioned for her to be quite and let her go.

"Do you know who it could be?" He whispered.

Sam shook her head, "No…it may be my friend Freddie…but he knows never to come over until he calls…and I don't have any other friends who would come see me." The door bell rang again and Sam jumped a little at the sound.

Henry nodded, "Ok…go answer it but be careful. Cassandra may not be able to move around during the day but she may have servants who can and the werewolves can was well."

Sam nodded and she got scared as she walked slowly to the door and turned her head back and saw Henry nod his head pointing the gun at the door over Sam's shoulder. Sam let out a long breath and prayed if the shit hit the fan Henry would be as a good of a shot as he was on the shooting range. She opened the door and stepped a little to the side and that was the last thing she remembered before a wave of unseen energy washed over her mind and body. It was not like it had been with Carly; it was different. Like two separate waves crashing into her body. The first was very similar to what she felt with the wereleopard girl in Los Vegas…Amber…but the other one was stronger and totally opposite. It was more powerful and the scent of dirt, tress, grass, and nature itself filled the room. Sam fell to her knees and screamed.

"What ever you are doing to her I suggest you stop or I will kill both of you." Sam heard Henry's calm voice.

"Mei, calm down child. Are you doing anything?" Sam heard a voice say and then she heard someone answer in a quite "no". She looked up as the energy fell and seemed to surround her body and engulf it. She relaxed a little since it was not painful and her scream was just one of being startled. It actually felt very pleasant. The stronger felt calming and soothing and the weaker one felt…sensual. Sam blushed at that feeling as she looked up and saw a tall woman of about forty or forty five with long brown hair streaked with gray. The gray did not make her look older but wiser. She was almost six feet tall and stood straight. She was thin…almost too thin. If Henry would not have used plural when he made his threat or the lady had not directed her question to another person Sam would have thought she was alone and then she noticed a small figure hiding behind the tall woman. The sensual feeling turned into fear as soon as Henry made his threat. Sam sensed the other figure's fear like a sharp thrust into her mind and it made her afraid. Not because of the energy rush but because she could feel the same fear running through the body of the person hiding behind the woman. The person was afraid of Henry. Well Sam could not blame them there. Sam stood up with her body tingling and looked at Henry and then back to the woman.

"Sir, you can put the gun down. We do not mean to harm you or the girl." The older woman said calmly. "And you are scaring poor Mei."

Henry just smiled, "Yeah I heard that a lot of times right before the person tried to kill me. No dice lady. Who are you?"

Sam walked to Henry and touched his left shoulder, "Henry, please lower the gun. They don't mean to hurt us."

Henry did not take his eyes off the woman, "Do you know that for sure?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah…I…I can sense it. I don't know how but I can tell."

Henry lowered the gun but did not put it in his holster. He backed up a little to allow the two strangers to come into the house. "The girl…the little one…she's a shapeshifter. I don't think she is a wolf through."

"Very good…may I call you Henry?" The woman asked and Henry nodded, "Yes she is a wereanimal and not a wolf. She is a leopard. Only one of three that remain here in Seattle after their pard was slaughtered…but we will get to that." She turned to Sam and Sam saw the lightest blue eyes she ever saw on a person before. The looked like eyes of a husky. The woman smiled at her and then stepped aside and Sam saw a small girl on her knees rubbing her face against the back of the ladies leg like a cat. "You have nothing to fear, child, the man will not hurt you." The girl got to her feet. When Sam first saw her on her knees she thought the girl must have been twelve or thirteen but when she stood up and Sam got a closer look she decided the girl was closer to her own age or maybe a year older. She was just small and very beautiful. She was obviously Asian and had long straight silky black hair that came almost to her waist and she wore it loose and it fell across the sides of her face. She had porcelain white skin and dark eyes. Sam would have guessed her height at about five one or maybe five two. She looked at Sam and smiled shyly and Sam felt her power go from fearful back to sensual and Sam looked away as she blushed.

"Y…you can come in. I take it you are Miriam?"

"You know her, Sam?"

Sam glanced at Henry and smiled, "No…but I was told by a friend she may be visiting. I…I guess I should have told you."

Henry gave Sam a harsh look, "Yeah that would have been good. I almost killed both of them after you screamed. Don't ever do that again and later you are going to tell me what happened to you." He turned and walked into the kitchen.

Sam frowned and felt like she just disappointed her father. She kind of liked it. "Sorry." She muttered and turned back to the woman and the girl. Her skin was still tingling with unseen energy but it was not as strong as before. Now it just felt like ants crawling over her skin. Sam rubbed her arms to try and get rid of the feeling but it did not work

"Anita said you would come…and call me Sam…I prefer it."

The woman smiled as she stepped in the house with the girl behind her. "Well then Sam it is. Yes I am Miriam and this is Mei-Lien." Mei nodded her head and Sam thought the girl looked frightened. "She prefers Mei and she is indeed a wereleopard as I said, but you knew that didn't you?"

Sam shook her head, "No…I mean…I felt something from both of you…I still do…but I could not tell what it was. It was like two separate rushes…I mean…one for her and one for you. How…how did Henry know?"

Miriam laughed, "I think he could just tell from experience…but you can tell from magic…to put it plainly. Of course it is more to it than just what people call magic. There is all types of magic in the world…some good and some very evil and some in between."

"He reeks of death…the man…he has killed and killed a lot." Mei said. It was the first time she spoke and Sam was surprised she spoke perfect English with no accent…well yes there was an accent but not Asian…it was actually a hint of southern. Not the southern drawl that she had heard on television when actors fake the accent but it was subtle and very pleasant.

Miriam laughed and Sam thought the laugh was nice both friendly and sensual. A laugh that could be at home in the kitchen or in the bedroom, "She is from North Carolina and her heritage is Chinese but they have migrated to the states three generations ago."

Sam was embarrassed and looked at her feet, "How…how can you know what I was thinking? Can you read my mind?"

Miriam laughed again and Mei giggled, "No, dear, true mind readers are rare…if they actually even exist. Unless you are dealing with vampires…they can get into your mind and the strongest can read your thoughts. I felt it more than anything like you felt us and Mei's fear of the gun and of Henry."

Sam shrugged, "So you can't get into my mind like Carly can?"

Miriam nodded, "Awww…the vampire girl…I am curious to meet her. But no I cannot get into you mind like her. What vampires do is totally different. Why I…and apparently you…can feel emotions and the aura that preternatural creatures give vampires can do a lot more…a lot of terrifying things and a lit of pleasurable things." Miriam sighed, "May we sit? I am tired of standing."

Sam chuckled, "Sorry…sure let's go into the living room. Would you like coffee?"

Miriam nodded, "Coffee would be great."

"May I have some tea?" Mei asked.

"Sure…Henry may have already started the coffee." Sam turned her head and was about to shout and then turned back around, "Umm…I'll go see. He is not the type to wait on us."

Miriam chuckled, "Yes I would not think so. I know of him by his reputation. I believe in the vampire world he is known as the Reaper."

Sam stood and nodded, "Yeah I have been told…but he really is a nice man."

Miriam laughed, "Sam…you trust the strangest people. A powerful vampire and a human man that a good deal of those vampires and even lycanthropes fear."

Sam led the two into the living room and went to get the coffee. She came back moments later with a tray and two cups of coffee and some hot teas. Sam sat in the recliner while Mei and Miriam sat on the couch. Mei curled up to the older lady and rubbed against her like a cat and Sam could have sworn the girl purred. Sam could feel the girl's emotions roll over her and shivered. Mei felt safe and that feeling extended to Sam. Suddenly Sam was very uncomfortable with the sensation she was picking up and the way the girl curled around the older lady. It was not sexual…Sam could feel that…but it looked like it was. The sensation was one of safety and very peaceful. Sam let the sensation roll over her body and closed her eyes. She did not want the feeling to go away it felt so good. Miriam put her arm around the Chinese girl and smiled at Sam as she took a sip of her coffee. Mei ignored her tea.

"I am sorry if she brothers you. Lycanthropes…for the most part…are very touchy and feely. They try to hide it in front of humans who don't know what they are but Mei…" Miriam looked at the girl gave her a sad look. "Well she lost everything when her pard was slaughtered."

Sam kept her eyes on the wereleopard, "How…who?"

"Wolves." Mei said and her voice was half fear and half anger and that emotion made Sam jump a little as she felt it. She felt the fear and anger rise in her.. Miriam nodded, "It is true. Their new Ulfric…leader…Mathew is a cruel person. He took over the pack about two months ago after he defeated and killed the last Ulfric. The first thing he tried to do was consolidate the other lycanthropes into one force and of course he would be the leader. The leopards Nimir-Raj…their leader…would have none of it and Mathew killed him and the other alphas and the wolves started hunting the remaining leopards. There are only three left in the area now. Their numbers were never as strong as the werewolves and they did not stand a chance. Mei came to me for protection and I granted it and I hide her."

Sam nodded, "Why can't she just find another group of lycanthropes and join them or leave?"

Mei raised her head and looked at Sam. Sam got a good look at the girl's eyes and noticed for the first time while they were black there were amber colored speckles around her pupils inside the black color. Sam thought they were lovely. "I will not leave. This is my home and I am going…was going to school at the University of Washington and now I can't even do that since I am hiding." Her voice was strong and defiant. "And other lycanthropes don't take in others that are not of their kind."

Miriam nodded, "And a wereanimal without a pard…or pack…or group is nothing but meat for other lycanthropes. The group protects each other. But more than that…they are a family…a close family. Mei is not an alpha which means she is not a dominant and she if they caught her they would kill her…after they did things to her. She is a very pretty girl and her animal form is such a beautiful black leopard. I am afraid of what they would do to her."

Sam felt the girl's sorrow and loss wash over her and she was almost in tears. It felt like the day she knew her sister died. She felt pity for the girl, "I…I'm sorry…I mean I don't understand it…this is all new to me…but I am sorry." Mei's emotions were so heartbreaking and Sam could feel them like they were her own. Her eyes were watery and almost started crying and looked away quickly.

"Mei…stop that. Control it. You are upsetting our host." Miriam said.

Mei sat up and brushed her long black hair from her face, "I…I am not doing anything…I swear. She…she can just feel it like she was pard. But…" Mei sniffed the air, "But she is human."

"Remarkable." Miriam muttered and Sam looked up in time to see Mei drop to the floor and crawl to her. Sam watched her crawl and it was not like a human crawling to her. It was more graceful and her body seemed to move in places a human body can't. She moved like a cat. Mei curled up to Sam's leg and rubbed her face against Sam's knee and gently grabbed the blondes hand and started licking it. Sam shivered at the pleasant wet feeling and was tempted to pull her hand away but something stopped her. It was the energy the girl was giving off. It was no longer full of loss or sorrow but it was full of fear and pleading…pleading for forgiveness. The fear was not like the fear she felt when the girl saw Henry and the gun but fear that she displeased Sam. Sam had the urge to reach down and pet the girl. To rub her face against the girl's face and tell her it was ok that she was not mad. She looked at Miriam and the woman nodded as if she understood.

Sam looked down at Mei, who was licking her hand, and smiled. She could not rub her face against the girl's…that was to intimate…to personal…she pulled her hand away from the girl's mouth and gently rubbed her check. Mei purred again and smiled and Sam felt the feeling from the girl of satisfaction and comfort wash over and then she suddenly blushed as she also felt the feeling of lust from the girl…it was just a small amount but it was there. Sam looked at Miriam and cleared her throat.

"How…how come I could not feel this when I was in Los Vegas with the other umm…girl…I mean I felt something but that was because she made me feel it. Not like this where I can just pick it up and it is always there."

Miriam smiled, "Yes Anita told me that the girl Amber showed herself to you…in a sense." Sam suddenly jerked her hand away from Mei as a wave of lust rushed through her. It was not the girl projecting her feelings about Sam as it had been before but something else. It was like Mei was projecting her feelings for someone else. Sam could guess who that was since it happened as soon as the girl Amber's name was mentioned. The feeling made Sam's mouth dry up and she felt her nipples harden and other more personal places tighten. She felt blood rush to her face.

"Mei! Stop that! Control it like I taught you!"

Mei got up and walked back to the couch and curled up against the older woman again. "I…I'm sorry, Miriam…I have been trying. It just slipped out."

Miriam gave Sam a look of apology. "I am sorry…she has only been infected for about three years now and it takes time to control certain thing and without a strong dominant or Nimir-Raj to teach her it is hard. She umm…she has met the girl Amber when their Nimir-Raj Francis and Anita and other members of their pard traveled here last year and well…lest just say they got along very well. Again I am sorry." Sam nodded and tried to relax as Miriam continued, "I think there are a number of reasons why you could not feel her like Mei. One is that Amber is an alpha and very strong. I don't mean just physically but mentally as well. She can control what others feel from her. Just as I am doing to you…when taught as I am trying to do with Mei we can shield our thoughts and are feelings from other supernatural. Of course most humans have no clue if they are void of any mystical or supernatural powers. Some have that small sixth sense or times when they get a hunch about something like a feeling on a horse that may when a race, but most don't. Some like you and me and all preternatural beings like vampires and lycanthropes have the ability…some stronger than others. Anita does and she is human…she is Wicca…or a witch. It is hard to teach Mei because I am not a wereleopard and it works differently for lycanthropes than for humans."

"And vampires?" Sam added and Miriam shook her head.

"Vampires are almost totally different. I can shield myself from a vampires gaze or gaze for the younger ones. But the older ones can break them down very easily. I understand you can as well?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah…well…Carly told me I could…she said when she tried to enter my mind it is like running up against a brick wall and when she does get in…if I allow it…I can push her from my mind. Doesn't work all the time…I mean…when she used all her power she can vamp me…as she put it."

Miriam nodded, "And how old is she…do you know?"

Sam started fidgeting. She did not know if she should be sharing secrets with Miriam about Carly.

"Over two thousand years." A voice said from the hallway and Sam looked up and saw Henry standing there.

"Henry! I…I don't know if you should have said that. I mean…it…well…maybe it is something she does not want anyone to know."

Henry smiled and it was not a smile of humor, "Then she should have had the common sense to die when it was her time and not try to live forever."

Sam sighed, "They don't get along much." She muttered and heard Mei giggle.

"Over two thousand years old…I have never met a vampire that old. Remarkable…and you can stop her entering your mind and 'vamping' you…as she puts it. Wow…I would not stand a chance against a vampire over two hundred."

Henry came into the room from the hall. He had another chair from the kitchen with him. He sat it down next to Sam and sat down and looked at Miriam. "She mentioned it to me when we first met. I really thought it was…well…I thought Carly mesmerized her at first. One of Carly's specialties is mind control. Normally a vamp has to look at you in the eye to get you…but Carly can do her thing on a room full of people and make you see things that are not there. She can also pull out your worse nightmare and make you relive it over and over as if was real. It can drive you mad." He turned to face Sam. "Just a little trick she picked up from Cassandra. And she learned it well…trust me on that one." Henry leaned in closer to Sam, "She learned a lot from Cassandra, Sam…she learned how to be cruel and to punish and to torture…and she has done it all. But she is nothing compared to what we are going to kill. You think Carly's mind is strong…just wait until Cassandra gets a hold of you. Her mind is a lot more powerful and she can do so much more." Sam got a shiver up her spine at the coldness of Henry's voice and a sudden rush of fearful energy from Mei. Sam could feel Mei was terrified of Henry.

Sam cleared her throat, "Stop it Henry…please stop it!" She yelled.

Henry turned in the chair, "You just need to know what we are going up against and what you have in your basement sleeping away."

Sam ignored him and looked at Mei, "I…I'm sorry…he won't hurt you. Henry please tell her you won't hurt her. She is terrified of you."

Henry smiled but did not say a word. Sam stared at him.

"Why do you hate her so much? She is trying to be civil to you! Why can't you just cut her some slack? Why can't you trust her?" Sam screamed. She was getting a head ache from all the magical shit she was feeling.

Henry glared at Sam and it made Sam want to crawl deep into the folds of the chair and hide. "It is not her I do not trust, Sam. Her and I have and understanding. We do this job and then we go back to like it was. I may have to or want to hunt her one day but that is on hold right now. I don't like her but I trust her for this. It is you I don't trust."

Sam looked shocked, "Me…I…what do you mean me?"

Henry glanced at the two other females in the room and back at Sam. He sighed, "Fine we do this now then. I don't trust you to do what it takes when the time comes. I am against you going but you are so determined so I figure why not…why not take her along for the ride. I am here for one thing, girl. I am here to kill Cassandra and what other fucking vampire gets in our way. I am not here to baby sit a teenage girl and act like her daddy. The things I do…giving you the money for your mom to go away, teaching you to shoot, babysitting you…I do for me. I do it so when the shit hits the fan I am walking away alive. I will do my best to watch your back and make sure the vamps don't get you as along as you do your job. I know the number one rule, don't ever give a human to the monsters…but if you fuck up or freeze and do something stupid that can get me killed…I will kill you myself before the monsters do. I did not come here to play house or be your father. I came to her to kill. I don't trust you to pull the trigger when you have to."

Sam leaned back in her chair feeling hurt and angry. She actually thought the man had liked her. He seemed so and even chuckled at her jokes when they were alone. She looked up and glared at him. "Fine…take care of yourself then…is there anything else you want me to know…any other advice from the big bad Reaper?"

"Yeah…there is. I want you to know what we are going up against. I don't care if you and Carly play kissy face all night. You personal life is your business. That is not my concern. My concern is keeping me alive. I have been trying to teach you for the last several days and you still don't get it. You still don't see what they are like and that is going to get me and you killed. You see how Carly is around you and I admit it is not the Carly I know…it is not the Julia I have seen…the Julia I spent three days with while her mistress did her little fun and games on me. But that does not mean she is not what she is. You see her as someone you can hang out with and go to the movies with; a girl that can be your friend and giggle as you talk about boys in your high school or the latest trends. She is not that, Sam. If you ever saw her in her full power…hell even a little of that power…you would know and it would give you nightmares. I am not telling you this to scare you about her. I do not believe she would ever harm you, but she cannot stop who she is. She would never hurt you on purpose I don't think. But she served Cassandra for years, Sam, and Cassandra was a cruel mistress and so are the vampires of her line…the ones she made. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment or they will kill you."

Sam swallowed hard, "I…I can't see her as evil…I just can't."

Henry chuckled coldly, "Well you need to…not to hate Carly…but to fear Cassandra. This is not some movie where the good guys always win. A lot of times the bad guys win more than the good guys. You need to see her as she is to understand her…to fear her.

Sam sighed, "I…I don't want to fear her…I don't want to see that side of her."

Henry smiled and it was not pleasant, "Why, Sam…why don't you want to fear her?"

Sam stared at her feet again, "Because if I fear her I won't like her…and…I…I would want to destroy her."

Henry smiled and got up, "Well you may have learned something after all then. Be careful, Sam. After we kill Cassandra then you can go back to the way it was. You can have your life back and this will be over with."

Sam looked up at the man, "No…I…I will never have my life back. It will never be the way it was. I know that…you don't have to lie to me about that. Once we do this…I…I will still always be jumping at shadows and wondering what if…wondering if this person or that person is a vampire or a werewolf and are they going to kill me. I know that and I cannot stop that."

Henry stared at Sam for a long time and finally nodded, "No I will not lie to you about that, Sam. You are right. You life will never be the same. But it is what you do with after this is over that counts."

Sam gave him a confused look but Henry just walked out of the room.

Sam looked up and saw Mei curled up against Miriam and felt the girls fear wash over her like a huge wave. She shivered and wished she also had someone to cuddle up with. Someone who was not of the undead.

Miriam smiled at Sam, "Well that was not the best conversation was it. You are afraid aren't you, Sam?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah…I am…how…how come I can't feel her," Sam pointed to Mei. "It is suddenly gone and every since you got here I have been feeling her emotions."

"Because your fear and anger has shut her out…you own emotions have shielded you from her."

Sam shrugged not understanding, "I…I am not angry. Just confused and sacred."

Miriam laughed, "Yes you are…you are angry at Henry for some of the things he said…he hurt you emotionally when he said some things and that hurt turned into anger. And you are angry at Carly for keeping things from you…you feel she is hiding something and right now you don't trust her."

Sam nodded, "Yeah…you are right about her…but Henry means nothing to me. He is just a paid cold blooded murder!"

Miriam laughed again, "No…to you he is not. You see him as more. I will not embarrass you by speaking it out loud but you know that is not true. That is why he hurt you…he can never be what you want him to be, Sam." Miriam gently pushed the wereleopard girl off her and walked over to Sam. She placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, "Before your emotions shut me out I could read them like an open book. I tried to read his and I could not get anything. I tried harder…to break through his mental shield and discovered he…like most humans…did not have any. The reason I could not read his emotions, Sam, is because he does not have any. His emotions died a long time ago. I am sorry he can't be what you want him to be…he never will. That is why he has survived as along as he has doing what he does."

Sam shrugged, "Well…I…I don't care. I just want to take a shower." She looked up at the older lady, "And…maybe you can help me figure out who the hell I am…or what I am?"

Miriam smiled sadly at Sam and nodded, "Yes…go take your shower and then we will look at you and see what we find. I can help you, Sam. I can help you control your mind and what you feel and when you feel it. I can teach you to shield you mind from other people and what they are feeling. You have a gift, Sam…and more than one. What I can show you will help you survive just as much as what Henry is teaching you."

Sam nodded and left the room. Mei looked up at Miriam and smiled, "I'm hungry, Miriam. Do you think she would mind if we cook breakfast.

Miriam nodded, "That sounds good. Why don't we go into the kitchen and cook enough for everybody."

Mei stood up and took the older ladies hand, "The man…he scares me."

Miriam laughed, "Yes he is a very frightening man. But he won't harm you…and let's be glad he is on our side."

Mei nodded, "The girl Sam…I…I felt a lot of pain in her. She is hurting…her heart is hurting. She…she is very pretty isn't she."

Miriam nodded, "Yes she is…on both." Miriam stared at Mei, "I would suggest you be her friend, Mei…I think she needs them…but only her friend. If the vampire as feeling for the girl it is best not to get in the middle…vampires are very possessive things and if this Carly is as old as Henry said…then she is not to be trifled with. Do you understand me?"

Mei blushed and nodded and they walked to the kitchen.


	23. Chapter 23

The next couple of weeks passed without any incident…as far as Cassandra was concerned, which both Henry and Carly thought was odd. Henry was still planning a way to kill Cassandra and Sam would ask him why not just do it, but Henry told Sam it was not that easy. During his scouting missions he saw that she was guarded during the day by at least five to six werewolves and at least two human servants. He did not know if one of those human servants belonged to Cassandra or not but if there were two of them that meant she had at least one other master vampire with her. Only a master can be bound with a human servant and vampires can have only one human servant at a time so that meant there may have been two masters with her. When he questioned Carly about it the vampire girl would just shrug and tell him she did not know who the master vampires could be. She told Henry that when a vampire got to strong and became a master that Cassandra would normally release them as she did with Carly and Dante. She did not like competition.

Sam spent time training with Henry and with Miriam. Henry took her to the gun range and continued to teach her how to shot and kill and explained vampires to her more. Miriam on the other hand was teaching Sam to use her "gift", as she put it, and how to shield her mind. She marveled at how quickly Sam learned and how strong her gift was. They would spend hours in the house and also walking the woods where Miriam would teach Sam about roots and wild herbs and how to use them to sure illnesses and other remedies. Wherever they went Mei went with them and from the lovely Chinese wereleopard Sam learned more about the lycanthrope society. Sam liked the girl a lot and they struck up a friendship. To Sam Mei was fascinating and not just her beauty but how she acted. She was very sweet and nice and she was very touchy and feely and after a while Sam got used to it and even enjoyed how the girl would curl up next to her on the couch. It was not sexual…well Sam kept telling herself that but she really did not know for sure…but it was just the way the girl was. Not just with her but with Miriam. Henry still frightened Mei so she avoided the man as much as possible. Not only was she so touchy but the girl really did not like wearing clothes around the house and was very comfortable in her nudity. It was a shock one morning when Sam walked into the kitchen and saw Mei cooking breakfast with no clothes on, but what shocked her more was that she stared longer than she wanted to. Mei had her back turned to her and Sam could not keep her eyes off the girl's petite but well rounded ass. She felt her stomach tighten and a tingling between her legs. Sam blushed when Mei turned around but the small girl seemed not to notice. Miriam explained that lycanthropes are very at ease being naked and prefer to be so. Sam told the older lady to please try and have Mei wear some type of clothes when around the house. Her excuse was since Henry was there but is was also due to the fact seeing Mei naked made Sam very embarrassed of the thoughts she was having about the girl. Mei soon started wearing a long tee shirt and panties when around the house. Carly one the other hand took an instant dislike to Mei. Carly normally ignored the girl but sometimes she would lash out at her for no reason and even make threats to Mei. Sam tried to be the go between but her anger was building with Carly and it did not help that their relationship was changing either.

One day while walking through the woods with Miriam and Mei Sam was getting a little bored as Miriam dragged on and on about this herb or that one and what they can be used for and so forth. Sam much preferred when they practiced using her mind and learning how to shield her mind and feelings and picking up others emotions or magical energy from supernatural beings…this plant stuff was just to damn boring. She was not really paying attention when she suddenly stopped and a strange feeling washed over her. It was not the tingling of the skin like with vampires or lycanthropes but something else…something different. It made the hair on her body stand up and she got suddenly cold and shivered.

"What is wrong, Sam." Miriam asked and Sam turned and her teeth were chattering.

"I…I don't know but I am cold…can't you feel it. It is so cold and I sense something. Something not bad or anything…just something."

Miriam shrugged and Mei wrapped her arms around Sam tighter, "She is so cold, Miriam…her skin is freezing cold."

Miriam walked to Sam, "Tell me, Sam…what do you feel. I…I can't sense anything. Let your mind focus of the cold and that feeling."

Sam nodded as her teeth chattered and her body shivered from the cold. She dropped the shields in her mind like a large metal door being raised. She felt Mei and Miriam's energy flow through her and shut them out and focused on the cold and the different sensation. She closed her eyes and focused hard and she felt it. It staggered her back and she almost fell to her knees. It was not pain or anything evil…it was just there all of a sudden and it shocked her. Once she allowed the energy wash over her she started to feel warm again. Like the mystic energy was hot water washing over her body to warm her. Sam looked up at Miriam.

"Death…I feel death. It is like…death…like…a body is here…more than one. A dead body…I can feel it but it is not scary…it wants to come to me and talk to me." Sam shivered and took off her light jacket. "Damn it's hot now." Mei looked at Miriam with frightened eyes. Miriam just shook her head as if to say it was going to be ok. Sam looked at both the women.

"Don't you feel it? Damn it is so fucking hot! I was so cold but now…it feels like a hundred degrees out here." Mei was about to go to Sam when Miriam touched her arm and shook her head.

"Tell me what else, Sam, what else to you feel."

Sam nodded, "Like I said…death but not scary or anything. I feel them calling to me…no that's not it…it is like they are answering me. It is like I called them." She glared at Miriam, "We are in a grave yard…an old one that has been forgotten. You brought me here on purpose haven't you?"

Miriam nodded, "Yes…I suspected you had other powers in you. The line of the Nine Sisters of Avalon varied in powers. Some used nature, others sorcery, and others necromancy. It seems you have two of those powers. The ability to use nature as a minor role but your strength lies with the power of necromancy…the power over the dead. That power is what gives you the ability to shield yourself from a vampires gaze…to an extent. The more powerful ones can still mesmerize you…but the younger ones can't. Also that power is why you can feel the mystic energy of vampires and lycanthropes. The question is how strong is that power."

Sam was burning up and wanted to take off her shirt and the only thing that stopped her was her modesty. "What do you mean…how strong is that power?"

Miriam smiled, "Can you raise the dead? Can you animate a corpse into a zombie?"

Sam shook her head in disgust, "I…I don't want to…that is…well…fucking sick."

Miriam chuckled, "Actually not. It means you can raise a zombie and it will be bound to you and then you can put it back. It will answer any question you have and it has to answer it truthfully. Zombies cannot lie. It will obey your every command and do as you say. But it is also dangerous and there are some people who should not ever rise. If you tried to raise a murder victim for example…that corpse's only instinct to kill the person that murdered his living body and he will do anything to find that person and harm anyone who gets in his way."

Sam shrived but not from the cold, "I…I don't want to do that…any of that." She fell to her knees, "Fuck! I hear them…they want to come out like…like the need to see me. It hurts…like all my bones ache…I feel I have this energy that needs to be released or I am going to burn up."

Miriam nodded, "That is your power wanting raise at one of them. But we cannot right now. You can only raise the dead at night and we don't have any of the ingredients to raise them or put them back. You would have to draw a circle of power in the ground. I can't do it because I don't have the power, but I can teach it to you. Then we would need a silver knife, and salt to bind them back and…a living sacrifice."

Sam looked up in horror, "I…I can't do that…I could not sacrifice a person. That is murder…I…no I will never do it…never!"

Miriam laughed, "And I would not let you. A meant like a chicken or other animal…only the older corpses would have need of a human sacrifice. There must be a life and blood given for the dead, Sam. That is the requirement of death magic. A life and blood must always be given for the dead to feed."

Sam shook her head, "Well they will not get it from me…can we just get the hell out of here." She tried to stand and fell down. "I…I can't move…it's like they don't want me to move."

Miriam nodded, "No…I do not suspect they would. You are their connection to life again…to an extent. They are not vampires…vampires are the undead. Zombies are truly dead and to keep them animated for more than an hour or so is horrible. Eventually they go crazed and even the strongest necromancer will lose control of them." Miriam looked at Mei, "Help her Mei…once we leave the power of this old forgotten burial land she will be fine."

Mei nodded and walked to Sam. Sam reached her hand up but the wereleopard girl did not take it. Instead she bent down and picked Sam up and put her across her shoulders and walked her away from the unseen graves. Mei was so small and petite and so frail looking like a little China doll, Sam had forgotten the girl was a lycanthrope and how strong she could be. Once they cleared the land Sam started feeling better and Mei put her down so they could walk. Sam looked at Miriam.

"That was a shitty thing for you to do."

Miriam nodded, "Yes I know…and I am sorry. But if I had told you before you may have shielded yourself and we never would have known. I truly and sorry."

Sam nodded, "So does that mean every time I go to a cemetery I am going to feel like that? I don't go to many…but…well…when things get rough at home I…I like to go to my sisters and sit there for a while."

Miriam shook her head, "No…I can teach you to control it and you will never feel anything like that. I will teach you the ritual and what needs to be done. It is harder than the other things I have been showing you and it takes longer. A lot longer. But one day, Sam, you are going to have to stop being squeamish about it and raise a corpse or the power will eat at you and drive you mad."

Sam nodded, "Can…could I like…well…"

Miriam grabbed her arm tight, "No…do not even think it! It is not a game, Sam! Never think it again! If you brought her back it would not be her. It would be a thing with no soul and not her. Never think that again!"

Sam swallowed, "I…I am sorry…I promise…it was just a thought." She gave a grin to Miriam and it was her sweet fake grin she always gave people when she wanted to get out of trouble.

Miriam chuckled, "Let's go home…you need some rest I think. And, Sam, I mean what I said…never think that."

Sam nodded and she meant it. She would like to see her sister one more time just to tell her she loved her but she understood Miriam and knew it really would not be her sister. "How come I never felt like that before when I go to see her grave?" She asked as they walked.

"As you get closer to your eighteenth birthday you power grows."

"Oh." Sam muttered as they walked and she smiled when Mei clasped her hand. It felt natural and she glanced at the smaller girl and saw Mei was also smiling.

As Miriam taught her about her powers Henry taught her about vampires and what all they could do and how they could be, Sam started getting tenser around Carly. When Carly would reach out to her in affection Sam's muscles would tighten up and even sometimes she would jerk away. She was starting to fear Carly and she hated it. She still loved the girl a lot but she was also terrified of her. Carly noticed it as well…everyone did…and she would take her frustration out on Mei and even Miriam at times. The vampire started spending more time out of the house at night when she went out to feed. Sam was getting worried about Carly but did not know how to approach her. It all blew up one evening when Sam was in her mother's bedroom with Miriam teaching her. Their session was ended when Sam heard a horrible scream from the kitchen, the sound of something breaking and Carly laughing. Sam knew it was Carly laughing but it did not sound like Carly…it sounded evil and the blonde girl felt her skin tingle and sting…like thousands of ants were crawling over her and biting her. She jumped off the bed and ran to the kitchen.

Carly woke and walked up the stairs and into the kitchen to find Mei the only one there. The wereleaopard had her back turned as she was standing over the stove. She turned and smiled at Carly and stared.

"Stop staring at me and tell me where Sam is!" Carly yelled at Mei.

Mei shrugged, "Sorry…I just can't help it. You are just so beautiful. Sam is in her bedroom with Miriam. " She was still staring at the vampire.

"Well I don't like you looking at me…so stop it!" Carly snapped and Mei saw Carly had flashed her fangs. She was just a little scared but she was now getting used to Carly's threats. The vampire threatened but never did anything. Mei felt she may just be trying to bluff and be a bully. A mistake she never should have made.

Mei shrugged and turned around, "Ok…but umm…you are the first vampire I have seen and…well…I was wondering if they were all so beautiful."

Carly smiled and it was not a pleasant smile, "No…not all of us." She walked closer to the wereleopard girl, "Cassandra was the one who made me…she liked to collect beautiful things. Art, furnishings, and people." Carly reached out and touched Mei's hair and stroked it seductively. Mei turned and blushed as she looked up at Carly. Carly smiled at her.

"She would like you…you are so beautiful and exotic looking. You would have done well in her court." Carly spoke in a seductive voice as she brushed her finger tips gently over Mei's cheek. Mei purred. She wanted to pull away but looking into those dark eyes of the vampire she could not…and then suddenly she did to want to. She craved Carly to touch her more. To tell her again she was beautiful. She had never felt so wonderful…so loved as she did tight now staring in those beautiful dark eyes.

Carly stepped in closer and Mei felt her skin tingle with desire and tilted her head up so Carly could kiss her. Carly looked down at the shorter girl and her lips were close…so close to Mei's that the smaller girl could feel the vampire's breath on her skin and it felt wonderful. It was so pleasant and sexy and full of desire.

"Would you like me to show you, Mei…show you how pleasant Cassandra's love was…how erotic her desires were?" Carly whispered into Mei's lips. Mei gasped and nodded her head. She wanted the vampire more than she wanted anyone she had ever met.

"Yes…please." Mei whispered. "Oh God please…never let me go, Carly…please never let me go."

Carly used both hands to caress the other girl's cheeks and smiled so seductively, "Open you mind, Mei…let me show you the beauty, pleasures, and desires of the mistress I once served."

Mei gasped at Carly's touch and whimpered in pleasure as Carly's mind entered hers. She was in a large room…a bedroom. The room was furnished with beautiful furniture and works of art that were just breathtaking. Old art work of a time long forgotten, she saw statures of the gods of long ago…Apollo, Athena, and others. She saw paintings hanging from the walls of heroes long dead. Hector the greatest warrior of Troy, Priam the Trojan king, the lovely Paris. She saw heroes of Greek legend…the large muscular Ajax, the proud intelligent Odysseus, and the greatest warrior of all time the mighty Achilles. One painting hung on a wall by itself. A painting of a girl being kissed by the god Apollo. Mei stared at that painting and thought she had never seen a girl with so much beauty. She drew her eyes off the painting and looked at the bed that could sleep twenty people it was so large. It was covered in white silk sheets and hung from the ceiling to the floor around the bed were white transparent curtains. Standing on in front of the bed were two large men. They were so handsome. Mei had never seen men that handsome before and they made her heart skip a beat. At the head of the bed were two beautiful women; one with long blonde hair almost to her knees and the other with long red hair that fell to her waist. All four were naked. Mei's eyes keep staring first at the men and then the woman and then back to the men. She could not take her eyes of such beauty. Suddenly the curtains in front of the bed parted and Mei gasped for breath as she saw the most perfect beauty she had ever seen crawl off the bed. It was the same girl from the painting. She also was naked and looked to be about thirteen or fourteen. He body was thin and her small breasts were budding with the onset of her puberty. She held her hand out to Mei and smiled.

"Come, girl, come take your mistress's hand and let me show you the pleasures that await you." The girl said in a voice so seductive it could not be refused. Mei slowly walked to the girl and took her hand and was pulled close to that wonderful small body. The girl smiled and kissed Mei gently on the lips and with just that one kiss Mei felt her knees go weak and she got wet between her thighs. It was a wetness that only a long period of foreplay could have given her. She almost collapsed into the girl's arm. The girl laughed and that laugh was one of seduction and pleasure. Mei knew right then that she would have done anything for the girl. She would have given the girl anything she desired. She felt her hand being pulled above her head and the girl leaned in and kissed her neck, running her tongue up her neck, and then she felt a sharp pain and then pleasure. Pleasure she had never experienced in her life. She fell to her knees with the girl holding her and going down with her as she kept her mouth on her neck. Mei felt her orgasm hit her and she shook and could not control herself and thrashed on the floor with the girl going down with her. Mei felt her body grow weak and her heart beat slow and soon it was almost as if her heart stopped beating altogether. But she did not care…the pleasure was to overwhelming and she never wanted it to end, but it did end soon…way to soon. She wanted to feel more…she craved more and the girl lifted her mouth from her neck and Mei saw it was red with her blood. The girl smiled at her as blood ran down her chin…her blood.

"You belong to me know…you are mine to do with as it pleases me. Who is your Mistress, Julia…who do you belong to?"

Mei knew then it was not her body in that room but Carly's. Carly was showing her a memory…her memory, but Mei did not care…she just wanted the pleasure again. She wanted to feel the girl again…to love the girl forever.

"Cassandra…my Mistress is Cassandra." Mei replied but it was not her voice. It was Carly's voice.

Cassandra leaned down and kissed her again and smiled, "Yes…you are mine and now I will bind you to me." Cassandra lifted her hand up and bit her wrist and blood poured out. She held her wrist to Mei's mouth.

"Drink…drink my love." Mei grabbed Cassandra's arm and wrapped her mouth eagerly over the bloody wrist and drank. She drank gladly and could not get enough. She heard Cassandra laugh.

"My blood to yours…your blood to mine…I claim you and you are mine and I am yours. I will be your Mistress for all eternity and you will be my servant for all eternity." Cassandra said as Mei drank. She let out a moan of frustration when her mistress pulled back her arm. She wanted more of the sweet blood…she wanted to drink forever in the loving arms of her mistress. Cassandra smiled at her.

"Now my new servant…my new love…my new toy…now I break you and show you who you serve. I will show you pleasures of the flesh like you have never experienced. I will teach you how to drink the sweet blood to survive; I will teach you how to hunt." Cassandra paused and stood up. She clapped her hands and the two male came to her. Cassandra laughed as she looked down at Mei, "I will show you how to kill and how to be cruel beyond anything you have ever seen. But first I must break you. I must teach you obedience in all things." She waved her hand and Mei turned fearfully to the wall and saw candles suddenly came alive. On the wall below the painting of Cassandra were shackles…silver shackles. The two men grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. She tried to break their grips but she was too weak. They dragged her to the shackles and forced her to the wall. They turned her so her butt was against the cold stone and placed the shackles around her wrists. The silver shackled burned her skin like red hot iron. She screamed and Cassandra laughed as she walked to her with a whip in her hand. Mei could not take her eyes off the whip. Something on the tip of the whip reflected the light from the candles and Mei knew the tip was entwined around sharp jagged silver shards.

"Don't worry, my beautiful Julia…you will heal. Oh you will feel the pain of the silver and of the whip but you will heal without any scares. I would be foolish to permanently ruin that lovely body of yours." Cassandra laughed as she brought the whip over her head and it came down across Mei's breasts and the silver bit into her breast and the pain was unbearable as the silver burned her skin like hot metal. Mei screamed and not just in her mind. She screamed aloud.

The pain was so real it broke Carly's hold on her and Mei pushed the vampire way with all her lycanthrope strength. Carly flew across the kitchen and slammed into a cabinet full of dishes. She laughed as Mei dropped to her knees and tears streamed down her face as she clutched her chest.

"You said you wanted to feel the pleasures of Cassandra's court…" Carly said and then her voice got harsher, "That was the pleasure she gave, cat! Would you like more? Would you like to see the other beautiful people she collected? Would you like to see what else she did to beauty she knew would heal almost any hurt? Would you like to see how she courted favor to the Council by trading her servants for them to use for their perverted pleasures? I was popular with them, cat, so popular with them that they would request me. I can show you the horrible things ones with more power made me do so Cassandra would curry their favor?"

Sam and Miriam ran into the kitchen and saw Mei by the stove on the floor crying and looking up at Carly. Mei had her hands over her eyes. "No…please…no more. Oh dear God no more." She was whimpering softly. Sam ran to her and cradled her in her arms and glared at Carly.

"What…what did you do?" She accused the vampire with anger in her voice.

Carly shrugged, "She asked a question and I answered it." She replied casually. "She was curious," Carly said in the same casual tone and looked at Mei, "Remember, girl, curiosity killed the cat." Carly walked from the kitchen and Sam heard the basement door slam shut as she held the crying Mei in her arms.

Sam ignored Carly's tantrum and focused on the girl crying in her arms. She held Mei tighter against her and brushed her fingers gently through the girl's long silky hair. "Shh…she's gone, Mei…she's gone. It's going to be ok." Sam leaned down and brushed the girl's forehead with her lips.

Mei looked up with tears running down her cheeks, "It…it was terrible…so terrible."

"What…what did she do to you?"

Mei turned her eyes from Sam and looked at her feet, "She…she showed me her memory. She…she made me live it and I felt her pain and her desires. It…it was like it was happening to me but it was her…her memory. I…oh God it was terrible. That poor girl…what she suffered."

Sam pulled back a little in shock, "I…I don't understand. She hurt you and…and you feel sorry for her?"

Mei nodded, "She is jealous of me, Sam. So jealous of me…she…she is afraid I am going to take you away from her. I felt that and then she showed me…oh God she showed me what she endured and it was just a glimpse…a small part but I knew there was more. So much more and so much worse than what she showed me. I…how can someone live through that…how did she survive it?" Mei started sobbing and gripped Sam tighter. Sam held her and rocked her back and forth as Mei laid her head against Sam's chest. After a few moments the wereleopard girl pulled away and slowly reached her hand up and caressed Sam's cheek. Sam shivered at the small pleasure and looked down at the other girl. Mei had stopped crying and managed a smile.

"You are so beautiful, Sam…so lovely." Mei lowered her hand and pulled away from Sam and crawled to Miriam. She rubbed her body against the older lady like a cat and grabbed Miriam's hand and started licking it. She turned her face to Sam. "You…you need to talk to her. She needs you…she needs you just as I…go to her, Sam. Talk to her."

Sam stood up, "Fuck that! After she hurt you I am not going down there. She…she is pissed and I am not going to let her take her anger and jealousy out are me!" Sam paused and stared at Mei for a moment. "What did you mean…she needs me just as you…you what?"

Mei blushed as she Miriam stroked her hair, "It does not matter…I can tell you love her and she loves you…what I need from you I can never have. Do talk to her, Sam. Please."

Sam suddenly understood what Mei meant and she looked down at her feet and started fidgeting. She was embarrassed and very uncomfortable. She did not want this conversation especially in front of Miriam but she wanted the conversation with Carly less. Her first instinct was to run to her room and lock the door and never come out. But she knew she could not do that. She was tired of running. She had done too much of it lately and that was not her. She liked to face her fears…to confront them and make them go away. She looked back up at Mei, "I…I don't know how I feel right now. I…I do love her but she scares me and you…I…I just don't know. You make me feel confused, Mei. I thought that with Carly she was it…the true love. But now…with you here…I just don't fucking know anymore. I love her…I know that but she…maybe…ARGH!" Sam through her hands up in a motion of surrender, "Fuck! Life used to be so easy!"

Mei laughed, "Life is never easy, Sam. You know that…your life was not easy before this but it was something you were used to. Something you could understand. You were hurting in such a different way and we just added more pain for you to deal with. For that I am sorry…but I do not apologize for how I feel about you. I will never do that."

Mei rubbed against Miriam and a purring sound came from her throat. Sam listened to it closely and for the first time she realized she found it sexy and erotic. She shook her head hard. _One problem at a time…just deal with one and then move one_, she thought. She let out a long breath she did not realize she was holding and gripped her shirt tight in the chest area to feel her cross…to make sure she still had it on.

"Damn…ok I will go talk to her, but I swear if you hear me scream please come running with a cross in one hand and a wooden stake in the other." Sam smiled as she tried to tease but she really did not know if it was a joke or if she was being serious. She shrugged and walked out of the kitchen to the basement.


	24. Chapter 24

The door was unlocked but she thought it better to knock first. She knocked softly at first hoping Carly would ignore her. When she did not get an answer she almost turned and ran but she took a deep breath and gathered her courage and knocked harder.

"I heard you the first time, Samantha…go away." Sam heard Carly yell. Sometimes she liked it when Carly called her Samantha. Normally she corrected everyone who did. Carly was not one of them. Carly and her sister could always get away with it. But this time Sam did not like the way Carly said her name.

"It's my house, Carly…I can go anywhere I want. I only knocked to be polite!" Sam said in anger.

"Fine…I can't stop you from coming down here then…well I can," Sam felt a cold shiver run up her back at the last part, "But I won't…that does not mean I am going to talk to you through."

Sam sighed...she was getting tired of holding her breath and letting it out slowly. She opened the door and walked down the stairs. When she got to the bottom of the stairs she saw Carly on the bed on curled up on her side facing the other way. The vampire was wearing a red silk robe and the bottom hem and ridden up so Sam could see her legs and the starting curve of the girl's butt. The red looked so perfect against Carly's alabaster skin and her hair fell over her shoulders in the back. Sam stared for a moment at how lovely Carly looked even from behind.

"What do you want, Samantha?" Carly said and it brought Sam back to what she came to do.

"I…I want to talk. But…but you have to promise you will not hurt me."

Carly turned her entire body around quickly. So quickly that Sam had not even seen her move. She used her hand to prompt her head up. Sam looked at Carly's eyes and noticed they were puffy and she had been crying.

"Hurt you? What do you think, Sam, that I am going to leap out of the bed and attack you? Is that how you see me, Sam? Do you see me as such a monster that I would hurt you?"

Sam swallowed hard and gripped the cross under her shirt, "I…I don't know…I...I don't know anymore. What you did to Mei and from what I am learning from Henry…I just don't know anymore."

Carly rolled back around, this time slowly, "Go away, Sam…just leave me alone. I…I can't do this anymore…it hurts to much and I am tired of being hurt. Go back upstairs to your pet cat and leave me alone. I promise I will not interfere with you and her. I will spend my days and nights down here in the basement except when I go out for…food. You will not even know I am here. When this is all over I will leave and you will never see me again." Sam could hear the pain Carly's voice.

Sam moved slowly and sat on the edge of the bed. She started to reach out and touch Carly but she pulled her hand back and once again her hand fell to her chest to feel the cross. "Carly…I…she is not my pet or my lover or my girlfriend…she is a friend and nothing more. I told you in Vegas that I did not like your jealousy…I hate it. It consumes you and it scares me. And what you did to her was…was not right, Carly. It was so wrong and you hurt her. You had no right to do what you did."

Carly laughed and turned around again and sat up in the bed and put her back to the back of the couch portion, "She is more to you than that, Samantha…I can feel it…I can feel the lust she has for you and you have for her. I can sense it when I am around you. You have been working hard with Miriam and I can sense more power growing in you…power she does not even know you have because it is a different kind of magic that she knows. You try to hide your mind and thoughts from me…but I am more powerful than you and her and your pet combined…do not forget that, Samantha. I also feel and see how you act around me now. I scare you. You flinch whenever I touch you or you pull away. You leave the room when I walk in and I can see the disgust in you eyes when I come back from feeding. I could have wiped that girl's mind with a thought, Sam. I could have drove her insane and tortured mind her until she pleaded to die. Have you not been listening to Henry, Sam? Has he not told you how evil and dangerous I am? Has he not told you what I have done and what I can do? Has he not told you what I did to him…how my mistress and I tormented him? How she fed off of him and how I begged her to let me taste his sweet blood but she denied me the pleasure? You kitty cat girlfriend was lucky I did not destroy her mind, Samantha."

During Carly's talking Sam eased off the bed and backed her self against the wall on the other side of the room. She looked at Carly and waited for the vampire to enter her mind but it did not come. She saw anger in Carly's eyes but she also saw pain. Sam was felt mixed with fear and sympathy for the girl. She reached down into her shirt and started to pull out her cross and Carly laughed. Sam never herd her laugh like that before…it was a laugh full anger and something more…pain.

"Do it, Sam…pull it out and use it! Do it…make my eyes burn with the sight of it. Press it to my skin and watch it burn into me." Carly opened her robe and exposed her breast. "Here Sam…I'll make it easy for you…burn me, Samantha…do you think that would be the first time I have burned? Do you think I have not known pain and humiliation? I have endured more than you will ever know, Sam, more than your mind and body can even fathom! If you don't have the courage to use it…then put it away and leave me the hell alone!" Carly screamed the last and Sam realized it was not a scream of anger but one of anguish. Sam saw tears run down Carly's cheek again. She turned her back and removed the cross from her neck…it was warm when she touched it and it glowed slightly with a faint white light. She placed it in her pocket of her jeans and turned back around.

"No…I…I can't do that…not to you. I…I could not stand to see you suffer and I could not live with myself it I was the one that did it." Sam moved closer to the fold out bed…closer to Carly. "Talk to me, Carly…please. Help me understand what you are feeling and what you have been through. I…I know I can't help you and make it go away…but I…I want to know. I have shared my deepest pain with you…but you have shared nothing with me." Sam said calmly and Carly looked at her. "Please, Carly, please help me to understand you. Let me comfort you, Carly."

"Your…your sister's death and the love you don't feel you have from your mother…that is what hurts you the most." Carly stated.

Sam nodded, "Yeah…I...I know you felt it when I would let you inside my mind when…when we made love and other times. I…I let you see it, Carly. I wanted you to know. Show me yours…help me understand."

Carly moved closer to Sam and Sam did not move away. She was afraid but she trusted Carly. Carly brought her lips close to Sam's and Sam felt the girl enter her mind. Her first reaction was to push…push the girl out of her but suddenly she did not want Carly out of her mind. It suddenly felt pleasant.

"I can make it go away, Sam…I can give you back what you desire." Carly kissed her. Just a simple gently kiss but to Sam it was the most wonderful kiss she ever had.

Sam fell back onto the bed, "Yes…please yes…make her love me again. Please, Carly…make her love me like she used to." Sam pleaded with tears running down her face.

Sam walked into her house from a day at school. She placed her back pack on the floor by the front door.

"Sam…you know better than to leave your back pack there. Put it where is belongs, dear." She heard her mother shouted from the kitchen. Sam smiled and thought her mother knew her to well. She picked her back pack up and threw it in her room on the bed and walked to the kitchen. Something smelled good and she knew her mom was cooking dinner tonight. She smiled and made her way to the kitchen. She stopped as she glanced in the living room and saw the photos of her and her mother. Some were done by professionals and others were just snapshots of the two of them. They were both smiling and happy. Sam felt a strange feeling wash over like something was missing…something important. She shrugged and continued to the kitchen. Her mother had her back tuned and was bent over checking something in the oven. Sam giggled and her mother turned and smiled at her.

"What is so funny?"

Sam grinned, "I just had a thought of pushing you in the oven."

Sam's mother laughed and threw her dish towel at her daughter, "You are so evil…what am I going to do with you."

Sam caught the towel and laughed, "Umm…put me up for adoption?"

"Yeah I could but no one would take you…and I would miss you to much. God knows why but I love you."

Sam grinned and sat at the table, "Because I am your only child and just so damn adorable."

Her mother laughed and turned back around, "Yeah that must be it. So how was school, honey?"

Sam shrugged, "Ok I guess. Got a 'C' on my math quiz."

"Well that is an improvement…I am happy for you."

Sam nodded, "Yeah…I guess. I felt I should have done better but oh well. Umm…mom…I…I got detention again."

The woman turned around, "What did you do this time? Nothing serious I hope."

Sam shook her head, "Naw…nothing to bad. Just got caught in the hall without a pass. No big deal. But you need to sign the note."

Sam's mother walked to her and used her hand to lift Sam's head up, "Ok…you need to watch yourself, Sam. You get too many and they will suspend you, baby. Please be more careful…ok."

Sam nodded, "Ok…hey you going to work tonight?"

"Yes…I have to be there at eight. We'll eat first."

Sam put her head down, "Awww man…I was hoping we could go to the movies or something after dinner."

The woman bent down and kissed Sam's cheek, "I wish…I'll tell you what, baby. I don't have to work this weekend and we will do something special. Maybe go for a drive in the country and look at antiques…I know how much you hate that. Or do some shopping. Just you and me."

Sam smiled and stood up and kissed her mom's cheek, "Sounds great…I have some homework to do…let me know when dinner's ready. Love you mom."

"I love you too, Sam. Just do your homework and don't spend all the time on the computer playing your games…ok."

Sam turned as she walked out of the room. "Would I do that?"

Her mother laughed, "Why yes you would…now go and let me finish dinner."

Sam laughed and walked back to her room. She sat on the bed and pulled her books from her back pack. She felt good. Her mom was so cool. She did not give her too much grief when she got into trouble at school…as long as it wasn't too serious. She smiled and looked at the picture of her and her mother on her night stand. It was taken two years ago at Christmas. They looked so happy and…Sam suddenly grabbed the picture. Something was wrong. Something was missing. No not something…someone. She threw the picture on the floor and shouted. "Melanie!"

Carly felt herself being pushed from Sam's mind with so much force it made jump back. Sam was glaring at her with tears running down her cheeks.

"How…how dare you, Carly! How dare you do that to me!" Sam yelled.

Carly sat up, "I…I was just showing you how I could help ease your pain and give back the love of your mother. I could make her forget to."

Sam sat up as the tears streamed down her cheeks. "You…you don't understand. I…I don't want to lose her! I don't want to lose the memories of her. That is all I have left of her and I would die without them!" Sam fell back on the bed and started sobbing. "Why…why did you show me that? Why did you have to be so cruel?"

Carly leaned down and tried to hug Sam but the girl pulled away, "No…don't touch me. Don't you know how cruel that was…to show me what I…I could have! But…but to have it I have to give up something. Something I never want to give up. That is not a sacrifice I want to make…but you tempted me." Sam sat up on the bed and glared at Carly, "Damn you…damn you for doing that to me! What the fuck is wrong with you? Why you would you do that to someone you claim to love?"

"Sam, please don't me angry…I…I do love you. I was just trying to help. I was trying to help you." Carly pleaded. "It is what I know, Sam. You wanted to understand me…it is all I know how to do and how to love."

Sam shook her head, "That is not love, Carly. That is far from love. I…I am new to this shit to but even I know that is not how you treat someone you love."

"It is if that is all you know. You want to understand me…then fine…understand me. I…I have never fallen in love with someone since I became what I am. The only other person I loved I loved her before I am what I am now. My love for her carried over and…and I killed her when she rejected me, Sam. I murdered the girl I love because she rejected my love for her."

Sam backed away on the bed, "So…you…you are telling me if I…if I don't love you…you are going to kill me?" There was fear in Sam's voice.

Carly shook her head and got off the bed and moved to the chair across the room. She felt Sam would not be threatened by her this way. "No, Samantha, I could never hurt you. I learned from my mistake and the pain of what I did is still with me today. It is a pain worse than any torment I have suffered at the hands of crueler masters. It is a pain Cassandra used against me for over two thousand years. I would never hurt you on purpose. I did not mean to hurt you when now. It…it is just…I…I don't know how anymore, Sam. I don't know what to do anymore when I feel this way."

Sam looked at Carly, "What way? Angry…jealous…hate…what way, Carly. You damn sure proved to me and that poor girl upstairs how you can show your hate."

Carly nodded, "Yes that is true, Sam. I know how to hate, how to be angry, hoe to be cruel, how to kill, and I am learning jealousy again and it is so close to hate that it is easy to understand. I spent close to two thousand years learning how to hate and be cruel and how to use my anger when I served Cassandra. That comes easy for me…too easy. What I don't remember how to feel is love. That is what I forgot, Sam. I forgot to feel what it is like to love until I met you. I…I don't understand love anymore."

Sam shook her head, "I…I don't believe you. How can you forget to love or how to care about someone you love? I have never been in love before until you and I know that I would never want to hurt you. I could never use my cross on you and cause you pain. But…but you did hurt me. Not physically but it hurt just the same…maybe worse. Physical pain goes away in time but what you showed me…the hope and temptation you gave me will always be there. Whenever I see my mother and how she ignores me and does not love me anymore I will always be tempted to run to you and beg you to do it. To sacrifice my sister…to lose her again…that is always going to be with me."

Carly nodded, "I am sorry…I truly am. But you are wrong about forgetting how to love or how to act when you are in love. I spent two thousand years learning that, Sam. After so long it goes away or you learn or convince yourself that love and pain are the same. That love and selfishness are the same. She taught me that, Sam." Sam could see the pain in Carly's face and she held her hand out.

"Come here, Carly. Sit next to me." Carly stood up and walked to the bed and took Sam's hand and sat down next to her. They were not sitting to close but it was a start.

"I asked you to help me understand you, Carly. I…I want to because I do love you. Oh I am pissed at you right now beyond belief…but I still love you. That does not go away because of what you did."

Carly nodded, "See…that is what I mean…I would never forgive someone who hurt me. I…I was taught forgiveness was weak. I…I am truly sorry, Sam, for what I did. I…I thought I could help you. I wanted to help you."

Sam nodded, "I think your intentions were good but…it cannot work that way, Carly. I need my mom to love me again and not forget about Melanie from the heart and not some vampire mind tricks. I…I need it to be real." Carly nodded and Sam continued, "And you need to apologize to Mei…I mean that. I don't know what you did to her but you need to apologize to her."

Carly shook her head, "No…that I will not do. I can't stand her. I can't stand to look at her or smell her. I…I hate her. Walking around the house naked all the time or half naked and the way she rubs up against you. I hate her."

"No, Carly, you are jealous of her. She is a sweet person and has been a friend to me. I need a friend, Carly. I have Henry who made it damn clear I was nothing but a means to an end for him and all he does is teach me to kill vampires and lycanthropes. And Miriam is nice and she is showing me so much but well…she is old…she is more like an aunt I see on occasion. And yeah...I am not very comfortable with Mei sometimes, but Miriam told me that was how wereanimals are…especially the ones that can shift into cat forms like weretigers and wereleopards." Sam chuckled, "She even said some of them live as roommates…like four or five sharing and apartment and all sleep in one bed just for that contact with one another. She said it was nothing sexual just the way they are."

"I know how they can be. I have been around them before unfortunately…for to long sometimes. But it is not only that...I can tell she likes you more than a friend, Sam. And…and I can tell you desire her as well."

Sam swallowed hard, "I…I won't deny I am attracted to her, Carly…and before you do all crazy on me and try and kill her…listen. Please." Carly's face showed anger but she nodded, "Yes she is very pretty…even you have to see that…and I…I feel attracted to her but that does not mean I am going to jump in bed with her and fuck her. I see people all the time I am attracted to and now that you corrupted me and made me enjoy girls sexually," Sam gave Carly a huge grin and Carly gave Sam a slight smile, "I look at girls and notice them now. But that does not mean I am going to jump into bed with them. Hell…I now think Kelly…Freddie's girlfriend…is fucking hot…but I am not going to have sex with her. And I know you see other people as attractive but I don't think you are going to fuck them." Sam moved closer to Carly and took the girl's hand again, "I hate jealousy, Carly. I cannot stand people to be jealous over me. My jealousy of my sister drove me to hate her when we got older and when she died I realized how terrible it was that I was so jealous of her when I could have had a wonderful relationship with her full of love and sharing. But now it is too late. I never got to tell her I loved her, Carly, because of jealousy."

Carly nodded, "I…I will try…and you are right in some ways. I do notice attractive people but…I still don't like her."

Sam sighed, "Well…at least you are willing to try."

"Sam…how come you act like you are afraid of me now?"

Sam shrugged, "I guess I have been paying to much attention to Henry. Not that he talks bad about you for the most part…but about vampires in general. I…I guess I am having a hard time separating the good ones and the bad ones."

Carly nodded, "I…I see but a little advice, listen to him, Sam, not about me when it come to hurting you…but about vampires as a whole. I told you, baby, there are no good ones. Ones like me like to say we are…umm…maybe neutral…we try not to just randomly kill for pleasure but we are very capable of it when we have to. It is hard to explain…but we are not good, Sam. Goodness means we would help people in need. The vampire council is made up of the seven strongest of our kind and if they wanted to they could solve all the worlds' problems with their combined power. But they don't and they never will. All they care about is their own individual power and the constantly war between themselves. There was a time long ago when they controlled the greatest powers of the world. When kings and queens bowed down to them in secret and paid homage to them. All they care about is power and to corrupt. Them and Cassandra are what vampires are, Sam. But I would never hurt you, Samantha…I promise you that."

Sam gave Carly a nervous smile, "I…I want to believe you, but when you talk like that about vampires it…it is hard to. You scare me, Carly. You scare the piss of out of me."

Carly nodded, "That is fair, Sam…I have done things to make people fear me. At one time I was the thing of nightmares…but that was when I served Cassandra. I have not been gone from her embrace until recently and it has not been easy but I am trying not to be that thing I used to be…but sometimes my anger makes it come back. I did not lie when I said I could have destroyed Mei's mind, Sam. I could have driven her mad until she begged for death and I would have given it to her and it would not have been and easy one…I…I wanted to. I was planning to."

"What…what stopped you?"

Carly smiled, "You did. When you came into the kitchen just the sight of you made me stop."

Sam chuckled, "Well glad I was here then. But seriously, Carly…what will happen if you get like that again and I am not around. You need to control it, Carly. I am serious. If you cannot it will not work between us."

Carly smiled, "There is still an us?"

Sam nodded but did not smile, "Yeah…I do love you and it would break my heart if what we have ended…but I would rather have a broken heart than you being with you and you were the nightmare you said you once were. I…I cannot love someone like that."

Carly nodded, "I will try…I promise. I…I wont like her but I won't hurt her any more."

Sam grinned, "Well that is a start." She looked at her lap, "Carly…I…I need you to do one thing for me."

"What?"

Sam looked into Carly's eyes, "Please take away what you put in my head. I…I don't want that there."

Carly nodded and leaned close and brushed her lips to Sam's. Sam jumped back a little, "Do…do you always have to kiss someone when you do that?" Sam said in a harsh tone.

Carly laughed, "Look who is jealous now. But no...I don't have to touch anyone to do it…but it makes it more pleasurable."

Sam grinned, "Sorry…I…well…I did have an image of you kissing Mei." Carly grinned and Sam through her hands in the air, "Fuck…I never said I was perfect."

Carly eased herself to Sam again and when her lips got close enough to kiss the blonde she whispered, "Don't curse, Sam." And licked Sam's lips with her tongue. Sam allowed Carly to enter her mind and she also felt Carly drawing her mind into hers. Sam immediately knew why Carly allowed her to…so she would see that Carly would never hurt her and Sam now truly believed it. Sam knew Carly would never harm her. Carly pressed her lips tighter to Sam's and suddenly her tightened and her eyes flew open wide and she felt a wave of pain wash over her. Physical and emotional pain and she screamed.


	25. Chapter 25

As Carly erased the thought in Sam's head she allowed Sam to enter her mind so the girl she loved would believe she would never hurt her and she forgot to close the portion of her mind when she served Cassandra. Discussing it with Sam made the thoughts to close to the surface and Sam saw it. She did not get the full memory that Carly made Mei see and unlike with Mei Sam was not in Carly's body but like a third person looking in someone's dream…or in this case a nightmare. It did not last long in the real time. Only a second of two, but in her mind it lasted longer…much to long. The thoughts came in flashes to Sam like she was watching a movie trailer.

She saw Carly shackled to a wall naked and the silver shackles were making her skin burn and sizzle. She heard Carly scream in pain and then saw a female figure standing in front of Carly taunting her and holding a whip. Sam was shocked at the figure. It was just a girl…a young teenage girl with such beauty Sam could not take her eyes off of her. That was until the girl lifted the whip and Sam heard it snap on Carly's skin and heard Carly scream. The thought flashed to the image of the same girl kneeling in front of seven figures. Sam could not see the figures but knew from Carly's memory they were the Vampire Council. The young girl stood and snapped her fingers and a very handsome man…no not handsome he was lovely like a Greek Adonis…handed the girl a leash. The girl tugged the leash and Sam looked at what was on the other end. Another figure crawled on the floor whimpering with her head down low and she was naked. Sam saw her long thick black spill on the floor as the girl crawled. The young girl pulled the leash again and the figure on the floor looked up and it was Carly. Carly wrapped her arms around the very young teenager and begged as tears ran down her face. The image flashed again and this time Sam saw Carly on her knees on a large bed once again naked. Her arms were stretched wide by silver chains and again her wrists burned. Sam knew Carly would be screaming but she could not because kneeling in front of her was a man. A tall handsome naked man and he was forcing his large penis in Carly's mouth. Behind Carly knelt another man and he was thrusting his hips into Carly's butt driving himself deep and hard into her. The image flashed again and this time Sam saw Carly on a different large bed and she had her arms wrapped lovingly around the small figure of the girl and they kissed and made love. Once again the image flashed and Sam saw the same Carly once again chained to a bed naked with her body exposed so her legs were spread wide and hiding nothing. She heard Carly scream and beg then saw the figure approach her. It was a large figure who stood close to seven feet tall and almost manlike but it was not a man. As the figure came closer to the bed Sam saw his body was like some huge beast and his face looked like a dog…no a wolf. Saliva dripped down his long jaws and he smiled to expose his canine teeth. Sam knew that smile was one of lust. Sam had seen movies about werewolves and all the movies they were sexless like a child's Barbie Doll with no genitalia. But in real life that was not how they were. She saw his erection between his legs and how huge it was and knew when he penetrated the chained girl on the bed it was going to cause her so much pain.

Sam felt her mind and body pushed from Carly as she screamed and she landed on the floor on her butt. She looked up at the vampire girl with tears in her eyes. She got off the floor and back on the bed and wrapped her arms around Carly. Carly let her but did not return the gesture. She just sat on the bed with no emotions on her face.

"Carly…I…" Sam was interrupted by loud banging on the basement door.

"Sam…Sam are you ok…we heard you scream!" Mei's voice shouted.

Sam looked over her shoulder, "Yes…I am fine. I…I just saw a mouse. Everything is ok."

"Why don't you have her shift into her cat form and let her come down and kill it." Carly said in a soft but angry voice.

Sam glared at her and then tried not to giggle. It was kind of funny. Carly smiled. "You are so mean." Sam said in a teasing manner.

"Are you sure you are ok?" Mei's voice sounded in the basement.

Sam looked into Carly's eyes and reached a hand up and caressed Carly's cheek, "Yeah I am fine. We are talking…can you please leave us alone for a while?"

"Ok." Mei said and her voice sounded a little uncertain. Sam ignored her and did not take her eyes off of Carly.

After a few moments she wrapped Carly in another hug, "Carly…I…I…"

Carly moved away from Sam further across the bed. "I am sorry, Sam. I did not mean for you to see that. I was just trying to take the memory out of your head like you asked. Please forgive me."

Sam wiped her eyes, "What memory?" Carly had done what Sam asked and she had no recollection of what Carly had done earlier. Carly smiled.

"It is not important."

Sam nodded and moved closer to Carly. She wanted to reach out and hug the girl. To give her comfort but she was afraid of not being able to help Carly. "That…that was what you…you had to live with for so long?"

Carly nodded, "Yes at first. After a few hundred years when she…after she broke me it was different. It was not that bad afterwards…or I just got used to it. But before that yes…those were some of the things she did to me." Carly looked up and gave Sam a shy smile, "I…I was her favorite she would tell me. I…I was beautiful, Sam…so lovely and that was why she kept me for so long. She used me to secure power. She gave me to others that were stronger than me to gain more power. I…I was a favorite to the ones she gave me to…they liked me for some reason. It was not just beauty but…but they liked that I could suffer their twisted pleasures and not go mad. After I was broken and she found others to amuse herself in that manner and she used me for other things."

Sam nodded, "What…what other things?"

Carly looked away from Sam, "She had me do terrible acts…cruel acts for her. I…I was her second…her second in command if you will…and I was bound to her, Sam. You have to understand that. She was my maker and my mistress and for a vampire that means I had no free will to refuse her. I…I could not refuse her, Sam. As much as I wanted to…and I could not end my own life…I tried…God did I try…but vampires cannot destroy themselves. Some force or power makes us fight to live." Carly looked at Sam again, "She…she used me to torture others as she tortured me. She made me do things to others that she had done to me. And I did and I enjoyed it because she made me enjoy it. She rewarded me with her desires and her lusts and I craved them, Sam…God help me but I did. I could not say no to her and I could not stay out of her bed when she called me. It…it was torture to see her having sex with another just as much as it was for her to…to punish me like she did. I could not help it, Sam…the bond with her was too great and she was too strong. She taught me many things. She trained me because even through she had others she made…some more beautiful than me…I was still her favorite. She showed and taught me powers that you would not understand and she made me use those powers for her evil…her own gain. I killed for her, Sam…I destroyed other vampires for her and humans and lycanthropes so she could gain more power. I cruelly tortured people for her and then killed them in terrible ways. That was my life with her. Please, Samantha, please go and leave me alone. I…I know you cannot love me now for what I was and what I am." Carly said in a whisper.

"How…how did you escape her?" Sam asked.

Carly looked at her bare feet, "She…she let me go. She exiled me from her and her court."

"Why…why would she do that if you were her favorite?"

Carly shrugged, "I suppose she got bored with me after two thousand years. And I think she was afraid one day I would threaten her power."

Sam tried to give Carly a cheerful smile, "Well at least you got free. That was good."

Carly looked up at Sam again and smiled sadly, "Yes and no…Yes I was glad to be free of her and her twisted games…but…but it broke my heart as well." Carly looked at the wall across the room. She could not look at Sam and finish, "I…I loved her, Sam, I loved her so much in a sick perverted way."

Sam looked at Carly with shock on her face, "How…how could you love a thing like that? After what she did to you and made you do…how could you? How could you love something that turned you into such a…a…a monster?"

Carly turned back to face Sam and Sam expected her to be angry but there was not anger on her face…jus pain, "That is what I knew after so long, Sam. That is what I meant when I told you I did not know how to love anymore. I learned to associate love with power and anger and sadistic games and torture. I know it is wrong…I know it is evil but that is all I know."

Sam reached up and touched Carly's face gently, "Oh, baby, I am so sorry. You really fear her don't you? Not just because of her power but because….you are afraid if she wanted you back you would go to her. That scares you doesn't it?"

Carly nodded and started to cry, "Yes…oh God help me but yes. I…I am afraid I can't resist her call and if she calls me back to her and her bed I will go…I don't want to go back but I could not help it. Please, Samantha…please go and leave me alone. I…I can't bare to for you to know that about me."

Sam got off the bed and walked to the middle of the floor and pulled her tee shirt over her head and then pulled down her jeans. Carly looked up in shock.

"Sam…what are you doing…I…sex will not solve anything."

Sam grinned as she unhooked her bra and then climbed back in the bed and eased her body to Carly. Carly gasped as Sam gently pushed her to lie on the bed. She stared at Sam's hands as they untied her robe and spread it apart. Sam smiled at Carly and wrapped her arms around her and snuggled close and gently brushed the long black hair. Carly noticed Sam had tears in her eyes.

"Shhh…I know sex will not solve anything…I…I don't think anything I can do will help ease the terrible torment you have been through. It…it breaks my heart to see and know what you suffered and all I can offer is my comfort, Carly. My love for you. Please…let me lay here in your arms and let me feel my naked body against yours. Please."

Carly wrapped her arms around Sam and smiled, "I…I would like that a lot, Samantha…it would help a great deal."

Sam grinned as a few tears ran down her cheeks. "And if it leads to making love to you…well I figure why fight it."

Carly laughed and that laugh sent chills over Sam's body. Chills of pleasure washed over her. Carly tilted Sam's head with her hand and kissed her gently, "Yes…I suppose you are right…why fight it." Sam took a deep breath and snuggled closer to Carly like she was trying to push her body through the other side of the girl. Carly liked the feeling.

"Carly…I love you."

Carly smiled, "I love you to Sam…I…I need you to promise me something."

Sam looked up, "Anything."

"If…if she makes me go back to her…if I cannot refuse her…please destroy me, Samantha…please don't let her get me again."

Sam turned her head and buried her face in Carly's breast and Carly felt Sam's warm tears drop on her breast and run over her nipples. "I…I promise, Carly." Sam said as she cried and Carly held her tighter. If Sam had not seen what Cassandra had done to Carly she never would have made that promise or at least protested it, but she saw what Cassandra had done and she knew she would keep that promise.


	26. Chapter 26

Sam lay with her head on Carly's chest and traced her fingers gently over Carly's naked stomach with her nails. She was not thinking sex but about what Carly had asked her to do as her fingers innocently moved to the vampire's right breast and traced around her nipple. Sam heard Carly give a small gasp and noticed her nipple get hard and erect. Sam smiled as her thoughts did turn to too sex. She grinned and moved her head to replace her finger with her mouth and kissed and then drew the hard dark nipple into her mouth and Carly's upper body thrust upward as she moaned. Sam felt her head being pulled back gently by her hair and she looked up at Carly and gave a seductive smile. Carly smiled back.

"And just what do you think you are doing, Samantha?" Carly asked.

Sam chuckled, "Well I am planning on fucking your brains out."

Carly frowned and shook her head and Sam eased back a little in disappointment, "I…yeah I guess maybe we shouldn't. Sorry…I was…" Sam gave a girlish _eep_ as she soon found herself on her back with her hands pinned above her head and Carly straddling her. Sam had not even seen the girl move. It was like magic to her but she knew it was Carly's vampire speed and strength that got her in this position. She wriggled her hands trying to break free of Carly's grip but the girl was too strong…much too strong. Sam looked up at Carly.

"Let…let go, Carly." She tried to sound angry but it was more fear.

Carly smiled down at her and bent her head and ran her mouth over Sam's right breast and kissed her nipple and Sam gasped as she tried to break free of Carly's grip again. Carly looked up at her and smiled.

"You hate being controlled don't you, Sam. You hate being the one who is helpless don't you?" Carly asked seductively.

Sam wriggled her whole body trying to break free. She was getting a little scared and something else. She was getting aroused and the fear only increased her arousal. She did not like it.

"Carly…stop. Let me up."

Carly laughed and that laugh sent shivers up Sam's spine but not in a bad way. She felt her sudden pleasant warmth engulf her body and tingling between her legs. Sam knew that laugh was done on purpose. It was a vampire trick. Carly moved her body up so she was straddling Sam's chest and she bent her head down close to Sam's lips.

"You hate being the one who is controlled…it scares you but it also turns you on…I can sense your desire, Sam. You are frightened but you don't want me to stop." Carly whispered into Sam's mouth.

Sam closed her eyes as her body reacted. She felt herself getting wetter between her legs and her clit started to throb begging for pleasure.

"I…I…yes…yes I want you, Carly…damn it…but I…I like to be in control." Sam finally gasped out.

Carly laughed, "I know…and I like it when you take control…I love giving up my own control to you and allowing you to do what you want to me…but not tonight…not now. Now I am going to be in control and as you so eloquently put it…I am going to fuck your brains out." Her lips went to find Sam's but the blonde turned her head.

"No…I…stop it…I…I don't like it like this." Sam begged but she knew it was a lie. It was hard to lie to her own body as her arousal increased. Carly laughed again but this time without the vampire power. She started kissing Sam's neck and licked the throbbing pulse on the girl's throat. Her fangs silently snapped out as she smelled Sam's blood and felt the girl's pulse quicken in her arousal. For an instant she felt the urge to sink her teeth into that wonderful flesh and let her slightly curved fangs puncture the quickening pulse and taste the sweet blood she smelled. She had not fed today and did not feed the pervious night and she wanted food…she wanted blood. But Carly was not a young fledging vampire…she was a master vampire and she could control her self. She did lower her mouth to that pulsing neck but not to bite but to love and kiss and suck. Sam moaned out loudly in pleasure as she felt Carly kissing and sucking her neck. She knew the girl was going to give her a hickey but she did care. Sam tried again to break free of Carly's unnaturally strong grip…she wanted to wrap her hands around Carly and pull her into her body.

"Please…oh God…please Carly…please let go so I can hold you." Sam begged but Carly ignored her and continued to suck on Sam's neck. She could almost taste the wonderful blood as she sucked and Sam's pleas just made her suck harder. Sam gave a gasp of pain and pleasure as Carly used her fangs to gently scrape over Sam's neck careful not to draw blood. Sam was trying to break free again and Carly raised her head.

"Do you trust me, Sam?" Carly asked and showed her fangs. She wanted Sam to know how aroused she was and wanted to make sure Sam knew what she was asking.

Sam looked at Carly's mouth and saw the fangs and swallowed hard. She then looked into the vampires eyes. "Y…Y…yes…I…I trust you." Sam whispered. Carly smiled and sat up straight and her hand pulled the silk belt from her robe slowly and seductively as her other still held Sam's arms above her head. Carly smiled as she brought the belt up and started to tie Sam's hands together and then tied the belt to a bar that ran under the mattress at the head of the bed. Sam struggled but she was bound to tight.

"What…what are you going to do?" Sam breathed out slowly. Carly smiled and moved her body down a little and bent her face to Sam's breasts.

"Trust me, Sam." She whispered and drew one of Sam's nipples in her mouth and sucked and bit it gently. Sam gasped loudly at the pleasant sensation. Carly took her time and teased and licked and sucked Sam's nipples one after the other and her fingers twisted and pulled and pinched the nipple her mouth was not one. To Sam if felt like an eternity as Carly teased her and each time she tried to thrust her hips up to meet Carly's body to get some type of sensation on her throbbing clit Carly would shift and deny her the pleasure.

"Please…oh fuck…please, Carly. I…I can't stand it. Please touch me there." Sam begged over and over as Carly continued to tease her. Carly moved her mouth from Sam's chest and licked her way up the girl's neck and over Sam's lips.

"What do you want, Sam…tell me…beg me." Carly whispered into Sam's open mouth.

"Please…please fuck me…I…I want to come…please Carly. I can't stand it anymore." Sam pleaded.

Carly giggled and her mouth pressed against Sam's as her hands slid down the blonde's stomach and then touched her inner thighs. Sam moaned as she felt Carly's tongue inside her mouth and she pushed her own into Carly's. Sam winced a little as her tongue brushed against one of the vampire's fangs. She had not perfected her French kissing on a vampire. She tried to pull her tongue out of Carly's mouth when she tasted the sweet metallic taste of her blood. Her tongue had worked hard in Carly's mouth and she cut it on Carly's fangs. But Carly would not allow the girl to remove her tongue; instead she sucked it and drew it deeper inside her own mouth tasting the blood. Sam felt Carly shudder in pleasure at the taste and fear ran through her body…fear and more arousal. If her hands were free who would have pushed the girl off of her but she could not so she struggled and twisted her body but Carly used her own body and hands and pressed against Sam and held her in place as she kept sucking on Sam's tongue trying to draw more blood out of it. Sam moaned in fear and pleasure and finally Carly let her go and sat back up.

Sam looked up at Carly's face and saw a small drop of her blood on the vampires lip and then shivered when Carly's tongue licked it clean. The blonde girl then focused on Carly's face and saw her head was thrown back and her eyes were closed. Sam saw a look of shear ecstasy on Carly's face and heard the vampire gasp loudly as she took a deep breath.

"C…Carly…please…please untie me. You…you are scaring me…please let me go." Sam begged quietly and Carly shook her head and looked down at Sam as if she forgot the girl was even there. The vampire's body shuddered again and she looked at Sam with lust and desire in her eyes.

"I…so wonderful…so…so sweet and powerful…your blood…it is…power, Sam…so much power. I…I feel it in me. It…it is sweet and full of power and makes me aroused. I have never tasted blood like this from a human."

"Carly! Untie me now! You…you are scaring me." Sam yelled as the look in Carly's eyes frightened her. Carly shook her head quickly to clear her mind and looked back down at Sam. Carly wanted to scream "NO" she wanted to tell Sam that she was hers and so was her blood. She shook her head again and clamed herself and brought her head closer to Sam's breasts. Sam stared up at Carly in fear and desire. Carly's black hair hung down loose and framed her face and the look on Carly's face was pure desire and ecstasy. Sam had never seen someone as lovely and sexy as Carly looked at that moment.

Carly bent closer to Sam's chest and looked up at the blonde and smiled, "Trust me, Samantha…trust me not to hurt you but to give you pleasure."

Sam swallowed hard and nodded and then gasped loudly in pleasure as Carly took one of her nipple in her mouth again and bit it with her fang. The vampire then used her tongue and traced her mouth down Sam's body to her stomach and then over her pelvis. She paused and spread the girl's thighs wider and licked around her pubic area. Sam moaned and thrust upwards and at that moment Carly grabbed her legs and lifted them up so that Sam's feet were almost over her head. Her butt was lifted off the bed and Carly used her other hand and spread Sam apart and her tongue licked her. She started at her anus and her tongue ran up her private areas and then plunged into her wet hole. Sam gave a loud moan of pleasure and then screamed as Carly's lips drew her clit into her mouth and she sucked the other girl hard.

"Please…oh fuck…don't…don't stop…please Carly…make me cum!" Sam screamed and she clutched her hands into fists. She wanted something to hold, something to grab, but her hands were bound to tight so all she could do was clench them and drive her nails into her palms. Carly continued to use her tongue and teeth on Sam's clit and then placed two fingers inside the blonde. Sam screamed her pleasure louder at the sensation. Carly did not push her fingers all the way inside her but curled them a little and used them to brush just a little inside of Sam and the blonde screamed even louder when Carly's finger found a certain spot inside her that she never knew she had. The pleasure was almost unbearable.

"Ohhhh…please….God…please…I…I can't take it…no more…please." Sam begged as she felt Carly's mouth and tongue on her clit and her fingers quickly flicking over that spot inside her. Sam heard a loud whimpering sound like an animal coming from somewhere and soon realized it was coming from her. The pleasure was so great she could not even talk or scream all she could do was make the sounds in her throat. She soon felt pressure building like she never felt before…like she was about pee.

"Noooo…please stop…I…fuck…don't….stop…ohhhh fuck…please." She found her voice and begged and then suddenly the urge to pee was replaced with the best feeling of release she ever felt in one long continuing orgasm. Sam screamed wordlessly as her orgasm hit and bucked her hips but Carly did not stop. She kept using her fingers and mouth on Sam's most private area. Sam kept screaming and then she felt a wave of warm liquid release from inside her and squirt out of her and she could no longer scream. The pleasure it brought her took her voice away and all she could do was gasp and whimper. She knew it was not urine but some other clear liquid that came from her body. Sam kept coming and coming over and over as Carly kept pleasing her. She did not know how long she came but she never wanted it to stop. It finally died away and Carly released her legs and she dropped them to the bed and laid the panting and gasping for breath as Carly head came back up from in between her legs and the vampire eased her way up her body. Sam saw Carly's hair was wet like someone poured water over it and her lips and face were covered in the liquid. Sam felt her butt and legs resting in a puddle of the liquid that the bed and sheets could not soak up. Before she could ask Carly what happened the vampire pulled her head back by her hair and kissed her.

"Lick it off, Sam…taste yourself on me." Carly ordered and Sam did. She ran her lips and tongue over Carly's lips and face and tasted her orgasm. It tasted sweet and musky and it tasted of her and of sex. Sam licked as if she could not get enough and Carly finally pulled away and laid her body against Sam and placed her head on the blondes chest. Sam looked down at Carly and felt embarrassment about what had happened.

"What…what did you do to me…what did you…oh God…what is…I…fuck…what is that?" Sam asked as she blushed.

Carly smiled as she traced a finger over Sam's stomach. "Did you enjoy it?"

"It…it was incredible…I…I never felt anything like that…what…what did you do to me?"

Carly grinned without looking up, "I found your spot, Sam…and you came and well…umm…I am trying to put this so as not to be so crude…you ejaculated and squirted yourself."

Sam was blushing terribly, "Oh…I am so embarrassed. Untie me so we can clean this mess up. I…Oh God…I can't believe I did that…I…I am so sorry."

Carly moved her body and straddled Sam's chest again and shook her head. "Hush…I wanted you to do it…I wanted to see if you could."

Sam wanted to bury her face in her hands but she was still tired up. She turned her head instead, "Have…have you ever…well…have you?"

Carly giggled and kissed Sam's cheek, "No…I am not blessed like that. I have had orgasms from someone finding that wonderful spot inside me…fantastic orgasms…but nothing like that."

Sam was so embarrassed she started to react the way she always did when in that situation. She started to get angry. "Well…untie me and let's get this cleaned up. I…I don't like laying here in it!"

Carly laughed and once again Sam felt that laugh all over her body. She turned her head to look at Carly and saw Carly's head drop to her neck.

"No, Samantha," Carly whispered in her ear, "I am not going to untie you. The first time we made love I was your slave…your toy to use. I enjoy it that way with you. I enjoy submitting myself to you and your dominance…but not tonight. Tonight you are my toy…my slave to use." Carly brought her head back up and lifted her body and brought her self up so she her intimate part was hovering of Sam's mouth. She then looked at Sam's hands and saw the girl hand dug her fingernails so hard into her palms when she came that she drew blood. Carly shuddered and inhaled the scent deeply.

"Sam…you cut yourself. Are you alright?"

Sam was staring at the part of Carly's body that was just above her mouth…just out of her reach. She wanted to smell it…to taste it…to make Carly come. The vampire had to repeat herself again before Sam even heard her.

"Y…yes…yes…I am fine…please…please let me enjoy you, Carly. I…I want you…I…I want you to lick then when you come…I want you to clean the blood off my hands when you come."

Carly moved her body back down and Sam let out a whimper in disappointment. Carly looked down into Sam's eyes, "Are…are you sure? Are you sure you want me to do that?"

Sam bit her lower lip, "I…I…think so…I…yes…yes I am sure. I want you to enjoy me, Carly. I…I don't have the nerve to let you bite me and take blood that way but if I am already cut…well…nothing will happen to me will it…I mean I…it won't have any…umm…side effects will it."

Carly giggled, "No, Sam, no there will be no side effects. I won't be biting you."

Sam nodded. "Ok…but please…I want to make you come as wonderfully as you made me…please let me, Carly."

Carly grinned and raised her body back up and straddled Sam's face as she lowered herself onto Sam's mouth. She gasped and moaned as Sam's tongue entered her and then found her clit. Carly pushed Sam's face deeper into her and after a few moments she felt her orgasm building. As she was about to come she quickly untied Sam's hands and brought them to her mouth and licked the sweet blood and felt the rush of the girl's power wash over her and she screamed her orgasm as she cleaned Sam's small cuts with her mouth and sucked and drew more blood into her mouth. She came again and again and finally had to use all her will power to drop Sam's hands and collapsed her body onto the girl. Carly felt Sam's body convulsing in pleasure as well as she she buried her head into the blonde's neck and kissed her. When her pleasure finally slated she eased her body back down and lay next to Sam and kissed her; tasting her self from the other girl's lips. Sam kissed her back and even licked her own blood off the vampire's lips.

Sam pulled away and was panting and she turned her head to Carly, "I…when you came and started sucking my hands…I…it…it felt great and made me come again."

Carly smiled, "Yes…I…I can make it like that…most vampires can. Only the newly turned ones have trouble doing that. We can make it pleasurable when we take blood. We can make it very sexual and cause the person to orgasm."

Sam brought her hands down and looked at her palms. The cuts were very shallow almost stopped bleeding. She looked at Carly and quickly moved her hands from the other girl's vision. She saw a look in Carly's eyes that frightened her.

"You…you can also make it hurt…cause pain?"

Carly blinked rapidly to clear her mind from the desire to feed on Sam, "Sorry…umm…yes we can make it a horrible experience or a wonderful one. Depends on the vic…the person."

Sam smiled and got out of the bed. "I am tired of laying in that mess I made. It is getting cold." She looked at Carly, "I…I think I should go clean up…take a shower. And you still have to go…well…you know. I think you really need to right now."

Carly frowned, "It is still early, Sam. Let's change she sheets and come lay back down with me. I…I am not done with you. I would love to make love to you some more."

Sam shook her head, "I…I don't know…you really need to..." Sam turned her back and looked at the floor. "Carly…I…I am so sorry…I should not have done that. I…I should not have let you do that to me. I am so sorry I asked you to."

Carly sat up on the bed, "What, Sam…are you sorry we made love? What are you sorry for?" Her voice was rising in anger.

Sam started looking for her clothes, "No…yes…I don't know…I…I am so confused. I…I did not mean having sex. I meant the other thing…letting you taste me. I…I feel like it may have bothered you and…well…I don't see love in your eyes like before. I see hunger and that scares me."

Carly got up and walked to Sam and tried to put her arms around the girl but Sam ignored her and put on her tee shirt. Carly took a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm herself.

"Sam…I promise it is not like that…not with you. I admit I had to control myself and it was hard. But well…I can taste the power in you, Sam…and it is like a drug to me…to any vampire. But I swear to you, Sam. I would never take you blood against you will and I would never roll your mind…vamp you…to make you give it to me."

Sam turned around with her jeans in her hands, "I…I…I'm sorry, Carly. I really am…I am sorry I doubted you. You're right…hell I was the one that begged to do it and I have no right to accuse you of something." Sam smiled, "No let's flip the mattress and change the sheets and get back in bed for a little while. I still think you need to go out and…well…you know."

Carly grinned, "You can say it, Sam…I need to eat…to feed…I will. But I have time."

Sam blushed, "Yeah…sorry…still getting used it I guess. Carly, you don't…well…when you do…umm…feed…you…you kill them?"

Carly started stripping the bed, "Honesty, Sam…do you want the truth?"

"Yes…I…yes I do."

Carly nodded as she through the sheets in a bundle to the floor, "Yes I have. I don't have to. A human body contains way to much blood for a single vampire to feed on. We can actually take blood and make the person just feel a little light headed. Like when humans give blood. That is about all we have to take. When we want to kill and take blood we normally take it from the throat…we can rip it open so when we are done feeding the person bleeds to death."

Sam nodded, "Do…do you still do that?"

Carly smiled, "I thought you said 'we' were going to change the sheets. I am the only one doing it." She flipped the mattress over and looked back at Sam, "I have not since we went to Los Vegas. Now I just take what I need and the person is not harmed and actually enjoys it after I roll their mind. I leave them very satisfied."

Sam nodded and walked to the closet and pulled out a set of clean linens. She spread them over the bed and was helping Carly, "And jut what do you mean by satisfied? I mean…do you…well…do you fuck them!" Sam screamed the last part.

Carly laughed and sat down on the now clean bed, "And who is jealous now? Of course I do not fuck them, Sam. Just because I am a vampire does not mean I am a sexual predator. Yes…when I take someone's blood it can be an intimate thing…it can be like sex and I make it like that for them if they are not bad people. When I am done they are well pleased and satisfied and they forget what happened to them. What would you have me do, Sam? Take them and their blood without rolling their mind and making it hurt and have them remember what happened to them. I…we cannot do that. One of our laws and one of the most important ones we have to obey is that we are not supposed to be let it be known that we exist. Yes there are some that know we do…you, Henry, the Church and others but we are not supposed to walk around and leave victims to tell everyone what had happened to them. It I did not roll their minds I would have to kill them. If I left them with the knowledge of what I did and had a string of people telling everyone that vampires are real then that would draw attention to the council and they would hunt me and destroy me."

Sam nodded, "Are they that horrible…the council?" Sam moved and sat next to Carly. Carly took her hand.

"Yes they are. They are made up of seven of the most powerful and oldest vampires. Six of them are awake and rule our world. The seventh…she still sleeps. She had been asleep for a very long time."

Sam looked into Carly's eyes, "Why…why is she asleep?"

Carly shrugged, "I don't know…no one does. But we are glad she sleeps. To have her awake would be a terrible thing. She is Lilith and the mother and queen of us all."

Sam swallowed hard, "Well…I…I don't like it. I don't like you having mental sex with this people."

Carly laughed, "Would you rather I kill them?"

Sam shook her head, "No! Of course not!" She threw herself down on the bed, "So…do you…umm…is it woman or men you do that with."

Carly lay down next to her and smiled, "You are so adorable in your jealousy. It is both. I…I have had lovers of both sexes, Sam." Carly chuckled, "I cannot believe you are jealous…with your desires for the kitty cat upstairs."

Sam turned her head away from Carly, "That is not fair! I…I don't have any desire for her. We are friends and nothing else."

Carly turned to her side and wrapped her arm around Sam's waist. "I can sense a lie, Samantha. Even when you try to shield me I know when you are lying." She drew Sam closer to her and the blonde did not resist.

"I…Carly…I…I don't know…I…I love you but…fuck! I am to new to all this shit! Everything…vampires, werewolves, wereleopards, my so called powers…it is all so confusing." Sam no longer sounded angry but hurt and confused."

Carly placed her head on Sam's chest. "I know…I feel that. I am sorry I…we have caused you such pain. I don't mind if you desire her. She is pretty and sexy. Just don't act on those desires and I will be ok with it."

Sam pushed Carly away from her and stared at the vampire, "And if I do? Are you threatening me, Carly? I don't like to be threatened. You go around mind fucking different people almost every night and you tell me I have to behave myself. That is like a double standard."

Carly shook her head, "No…I am not threatening you, Sam. I would not hurt you…but I have no problem hurting her." Carly did not sound angry when she said it. She sounded calm very sincere.

Sam sat up, "So if I did anything with her…which I am not planning on doing by the way…you would hurt her?"

Carly reached up and ran her hand over Sam's back under her tee shirt. "Yes I would hurt her and then I would kill her. Vampires are very possessive things, Sam."

Sam jumped to her feet and turned around, "No! I…I would not allow it. I…I would stop you! And I am no ones possession, Carly. No one owns me!" She glared at Carly.

Carly smiled and Sam flinched at the smile, "And what would you do, Samantha? Would you kill me? Would you cut out my heart, cut off my head, burn my body, and then scatter my ashes in a river of running water. That would guarantee I would never rise again. Could you do that, Sam?"

Sam shook her head quickly and looked at her feet and thought for a moment. After a long time she raised her head and looked at Carly, "No…but I would stop loving you and hate you for it."

Carly nodded, "That to me would be worse than death. I…I won't hurt the girl. I promise."

Sam looked into Carly's eyes and saw the truth, "I…I don't want to talk about this anymore." She moved back to the bed and sat down and took Carly's hand and kissed it. "How…how can I love you after you say horrible thing, Carly. I…I know you are not fucking with my mind. I could tell that."

Carly smiled, "You said the reason, Sam, the same reason why I would not hurt your pet cat because you asked me not to."

Sam nodded, "Love, huh?"

Carly nodded, "Yes, baby, love."

"Love sucks!" Sam groaned and fell back to on the bed and Carly laughed, "Yes it does at times." And she fell back to the bed as well.

Sam turned her body and faced Carly. "I did not tell you what Miriam and I found out about me the other day did I?"

Carly knew Sam wanted to change the subject and let her, "No, love, you did not. You have not talked much to me the last several days."

Sam blushed, "Yeah…sorry about that. But anyway…she took me to an old cemetery…very old with no headstones or anything. And I heard the dead speaking to me. It was not scary or anything. They just were like asking if they could talk to me and then some said I was not powerful enough and told the others to leave me alone. They said they had been dead to long for me to raise them."

Carly sat up on the bed quickly and looked down at Sam. "No…oh please…please don't say it, Sam…don't tell me…dear God don't say it."

Sam got up and kneeled behind Carly and wrapped her arms around the vampire girl. "What…what is wrong, Carly? You seem scared."

Carly nodded, "You are a necromancer…aren't you?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah…how…how did you know."

Carly swallowed, "I…I should have known…damnit…I should have felt it but it has been so long since I have met one." She reached up and took Sam's hand and kissed it. "Now I know why she wants you. Now I know why Cassandra wants you."

Sam leaned in close and pressed her chest hard against Carly's back. She felt fear in Carly. "What…what is wrong, Carly…why is that so bad? I mean the thought of raising a dead person and making it into a zombie freaks me out and I will never do it…but it scares you and why would that make Cassandra want me."

Carly kissed Sam's hand, "Because, Sam, we…vampires…we are ordered by the council to kill all necromancers we come across. There are only a few left and I have not met one in a long time…but we…we used to hunt them, Sam. We used to hunt and kill them. The ones that are still around and know what they are do not show themselves. They are hiding because they know we will kill them on sight."


	27. Chapter 27

Sam turned her head to look at Carly as they lay on the bed side by side, "What do you mean they used to kill necromancers? I mean…why…is that a bad thing or what?"

Carly shook her head, "No…they are not good or evil…depends on the person, but think about it, Sam. Necromancers control the dead. They have power over the dead and what are vampires, Sam?" Carly turned over and put her head on Sam's chest and Sam dropped her hand to run her fingers through Carly's beautiful black hair.

"So you mean that they can control vampires?"

Carly shook her head, "I really don't think so. There have been reports from long ago there were one or two necromancers with the power to do so but I have never heard of one that could for a long time. But the council did not want to take the chance so they sent out their Deathstalkers to kill them."

"D…Deathstalkers?" Sam asked in a whispered voice.

"Yeah…vampire assassins who owe no allegiance to any master but the council." Carly shivered, "They are cruel, emotionless, and very powerful and very evil." Carly turned her head to look at Sam. "What all did Miriam tell you…about necromancers?"

Sam shrugged, "Well…just that they have power over the dead. She said they can raise a corpse into a zombie and make it talk. She told me it takes a ritual that involves some type of circle of power and blood and then she said the necromancer can put the body back." Am thought for a moment, "She also mentioned how they can sense things like ghosts and departed souls…but only the stronger ones."

Carly smiled, "Yes they can. But ghosts really won't or can't harm a person if you just ignore them. They like to taunt and tease and make it hard for someone to ignore them but they really can't hurt you." Carly looked up at Sam as the other girl still stoked her hair, "Umm…that feels nice…that must be the reason why Cassandra wants you."

Sam nodded, "To kill me because some old vampire law is why she is going to kill me? Why her? Why not these Death what-ever-you-call-them?"

"Deathstalkers…well they have not hunted necromancers in a long time. There are very few left that they know of and the ones they do don't have power to control a vampire. It takes a powerful one to control a vampire…even the weakest of us. There has not been one that powerful in over four hundred years. But Cassandra does not want to kill you, Sam. She wants to own you. Either by turning you or by forcing the marks on you to make you into her human servant…I don't think you turning eighteen has anything to do with it now…I don't know why she is waiting, but she is."

Sam nodded and moved herself and gently pushed Carly aside. "Well maybe Henry will hurry up and make up his mind to take her out before she comes to me. I don't know what the fuck he is waiting for."

Carly sat up and crawled off the bed. Sam watched her and thought how such a simple gesture could be so graceful and sexy. She stared as Carly went to the closet and seemed to be looking for something to wear.

"Where are you going? It's still early…I mean for you to go out." Sam looked at her feet and blushed, "I…I was hoping we could you know…do it again."

Carly turned and smiled, "I should go out early tonight. I do need to feed and I want to be back just in case. I have been foolish about it and going out way to late. I need to be here more at night. When I come back we can make love as much as we want until the sun comes up."

Sam smiled and sat up in the bed as she watched Carly for a moment. "Carly…why…why do you do this?"

The vampire turned and smiled again, "What get dressed?" She teased. Sam smiled wider and shook her head.

"Noooo…I mean…help me and…well…love me. Why do you love me?"

Carly walked over to the bed and sat down, "Samantha, that is a silly question to ask me. Besides you being beautiful…well…you are…well…the way you are handling everything. I know you are scared…hell I am scared…but all of this was thrown at you and you are accepting it and you are being so brave about it." Carly grinned, "And I like how tough you are. How sarcastic you are and how sure of yourself…there are a lot of reasons why I love you."

Sam frowned, "No…I am not beautiful…cute sure…maybe even pretty but you…I mean besides your obvious beautiful looks you have something I will never have. You have class and grace and it is not just your vampire tricks. I did some research online about you and your family. I mean…yeah I knew who your father was just by his name. But I researched more and…fuck…you were like a princess, Carly. I mean your family was one of the most powerful families in Rome. I just wondered why a girl like you could love a white trash girl like me."

"What does this mean…white trash?" Carly asked and Sam laughed.

"Poor…ignorant…someone who uses bad language a lot…a slut…just…well…you know…low class."

Carly eased up and kiss Sam gently, "You are not this white trash, Sam. First you were a virgin so the slut part is out. You could not help it if you and your mother do not have money…true you do curse too much and I am working on that." Sam smiled at her, "Don't ever think you are not a special person, Sam." Carly pulled back and smiled, "I love you, Sam…it has nothing to do with money, power, class…I just love you."

Sam smiled, "Ok…I was just curious…hey…I just thought of something. You told me when we first met that Cassandra could raise the dead as zombies…why does she need me if she had that power?"

"Yes she can…but not like a necromancer…she knows the spells and the rituals and can raise a corpse that has not been long dead…some people with magical abilities can. I can't…I never had any special abilities before I was turned. But she did…remember she was gifted by the god Apollo. But she is very limited in that ability. A true and powerful necromancer can raise a corpse that has been dead for over a hundred years…if the sacrifice is right."

Sam swallowed, "Sacrifice…what kind?"

Carly shrugged, "Depends on how long the body as been dead. An animal will do but the older the body the bigger the sacrifice. A body dead for a hundred years or more would have to take a human sacrifice."

Sam shook her head, "Well there is no way in hell I am killing some poor animal and sure as fuck I am not killing a person just to raise some dead person. Just thinking about it gives me the creeps. Fuck…I can see it now…The Night of the Living Dead all over Seattle."

Carly laughed and got up again to get dressed, "Well you may have to do something. From the limited knowledge I have of it…if you don't the power can consume you and you will accidentally raise someone and they will come to you. It is better for you to do the ritual and have all the fail safes to protect you and others." Carly turned to the closet and started looking over her clothes to decide what to wear.

Sam got off the bed and started getting dressed, "Yeah…Miriam told me the same thing. She said she knew of a voodoo priest in California who could help me…but I don't think she trusted him to much."

Carly looked over she shoulder as she pulled on a red camisole. "Yeah…voodoo priests and priestess are…well…some can be very evil. Not all of them of course. But you have to be careful dealing with them. Like all magical power…there is a good side and an evil side."

Sam was dressed in her jeans and tee shirt, "Yeah…I guess. Carly, she…she looks so young…Cassandra I mean. She looks like a thirteen year old girl."

Carly nodded, "Yes...she was fourteen when she was turned…don't let that fool you, Sam. It has fooled many others in the past. She is powerful and evil."

Sam nodded, "Yeah I got the idea of that from your…well…from what I saw in your mind. I'm going upstairs to get something to eat…I am starving. Maybe you should also put on a bra, Carly…I don't know if…fuck…never mind." Sam added. After lecturing Carly about jealousy Sam did not want Carly to know she was getting jealous over the vampires choice of clothes. Carly smiled at her.

"Well my breasts aren't as large as yours…they are kind of small in case you haven't noticed…and I can get away without a bra."

Sam made a snorting sound, "Well…you nipples will show…fuck it…wear whatever you want."

Carly giggled and reached in the closet to get some more clothes as Sam came up behind her and kissed her neck. "Your breasts are perfect." Carly gave a small moan and smiled and by the time she turned around Sam was already walking up the stairs. As she pulled put a black and red skirt Carly suddenly felt a wave of power wash over her body and she fell to her knees.

"Julia...my sweet Julia…it is time to come home." A voice whispered on her head.

"No…no…I told you, Cassandra. I…I am not yours anymore." Carly whispered aloud.

She heard laughter in her mind that sounded like a little girl, "I am calling all my children to me now…I give you one more chance, Julia. Come to me willingly now without any recourse…but if you come back to me later…and you will some home do not doubt that…you will have to be punished." Carly doubled over in pain and she felt as if her insides were going to be ripped out. She fought off a scream as the image of Cassandra started to form in her mind. She focused her own power on that image and willed it to be gone. Cassandra's image seemed to stagger and fall back and that gave Carly hope.

Carly struggled to her feet as if in pain, "No! I told you, bitch…I am done with you!"

Again the laughter but this time is was stronger but seemed to have less power behind it, "So be it, Julia…we do it the hard way. I am pleased you have grown stronger…I will need that power soon." And she was gone.

Carly sat on the bed with the skirt in one hand and sat there for a moment with a satisfied smile on her face. She resisted the call and she was glad. She knew Cassandra had power over her but it was not as bad as she thought. It she was not as strong or the hold over her had been stronger she could not have resisted so easily. She knew now that Cassandra could not compel her to come back…she would have to come back on her own and she would never do that. Carly pulled on her black thigh high stockings and then her eyes grew wide. "Damn…that was easy…too easy! I did not feel even half the power she has. What is that bitch up to?" She said aloud and finished getting dressed. She would think about it later. Right now she needed to feed…the blood lust was becoming to strong.

Sam walked into the kitchen while Carly was getting dressed. She was hungry and wanted a ham sandwich. She saw Mei sitting at the table flipping through a fashion magazine. The Chinese girl looked up and her and smiled.

"Everything ok now?" She asked and Sam smiled at her.

"Yeah…we made up and she calmed down. Mei…I'm sorry for what she did to you…whatever it was…she promised not to do it again."

Mei shrugged and looked back at the magazine, "If you say so." Her eyes followed Sam as the blonde walked to the refrigerator and she smiled, "You smell like sex."

Sam turned around quickly and dropped a plastic jar of mustard. "What…what did you say?" She asked and blushed.

Mei looked back at the magazine and shrugged again, "I said you smell like sex. I can smell it on you and smell her on you."

"Mei…whatever Carly and I do is none of your business." Sam said harshly, "And I would appreciate it if you did not just announce it like that again. That is between her and me."

Mei laughed, "Relax, Sam, there is nothing wrong with it. I think it is nice you and her have that type of relationship…and well…it smells good."

Sam blushed harder and turned around, "Well…stop it…I…I…just fucking stop it." Sam pulled the ham from the refrigerator, "I…I thought you would be...well…fuck…never mind."

Mei giggled, "What…jealous? I made it clear I desire you and I know you desire me…I can smell that also…but no I am not jealous. Lycanthropes are really not into the whole monogamy thing for the most part…I don't mind sharing."

Sam felt her face getting hotter, "Fuck! I wish people would stop sensing or smelling how I feel! Can we just drop it?"

Mei giggled again, "Sure…but I wish you would relax about it."

Sam grabbed the bread, "Please…just drop it. Where is everyone anyway?"

Mei was trying not to laugh at Sam's discomfort, "Henry is out and of course you know him…all full of mystery and stuff so I have no idea where he is. Miriam went to talk to Zack and Sherry."

"Who are Zack and Sherry?"

Mei did stop laughing, "They…they are the only two left of our pard besides me. We are the only three survivors. She went to make sure they are alright."

Sam nodded, "Sorry." She said and Mei shrugged again and started looking at the magazine.

"We need to go to the store tomorrow. Miriam and I made a list of things we need. We are almost out of food and Henry gave me some money. Maybe tomorrow you and I can go."

Sam nodded and sat at the table, "Sure…we need coffee for sure. I hate not having coffee."

Mei made a sound of agreement and started giggling as she looked at the magazine. She was doing her best not to look at Sam.

"Stop it, Mei!" Sam said and Mei just nodded and kept giggling as Carly walked into the kitchen. Sam looked up at her and smiled and then frowned.

"A little over dressed for just going out to…well…you know." Sam said in a sarcastic voice. Mei looked up and made a slight gasp. Carly was wearing the red camisole, no bra, and a black and red skirt that came about three and a half inches above her knees and black thigh highs with a black seam running up the back. On her feet were four inch black heals and he hair was styled to part almost in the middle with one side bushed back away from her face but the other side was styled to almost hide the left side of her face. Sam and Mei thought she looked lovely and ever so sexy.

Carly shrugged, "Running out of clothes here. I need to get some more from my apartment."

Sam threw her sandwich on her plate, "Well we do have a fucking washer and dryer you know!"

Carly smiled, "Yeah…I guess were could wash the dirty ones."

Sam stood up, "I have to pee. Have fun, Carly." Sam said as she left the room in a huff.

Carly shrugged and looked at Mei and smiled. Mei shrank lower in her chair and Carly could taste her fear in her mouth like something bitter and sweet…like dark chocolate. It tasted good. She smiled wider and sat down in the chair Sam deserted.

"Mei…I am sorry for what I did earlier. That was uncalled for. Please forgive me."

Mei nodded. She knew the vampire was not at all sorry but she was too afraid of her to say anything.

Carly held out her hand on the table and grabbed Mei's before the other girl could react. Mei shivered as Carly started caressing her thumb over the top of her hand. "It won't happen again, dear. I was just upset about some things and took it out on you. Tell me you forgive me and we can be friends."

Mei nodded, "I…I…I forgive you. Can…can I have my hand back now, please."

Carly grinned and pulled Mei closer and ran her fingers over her cheek, "So lovely…you are very pretty." Carly's grin faded and her face became grim and squeezed Mei's hand until it hurt, "If you ever mention to anyone what I showed you or if you ever even discuss it with me I will kill you. I will torture your mind and I will kill you…do you understand me?" Mei swallowed hard and nodded and Carly let go of her and smiled again, "You are scared of me aren't you, my little cat?" Mei nodded again, "You should be…you are weak…you are not even an alpha leopard. Oh yes I know what that means…you are submissive to other members of your pard. Tell me Mei…did the alphas pass you around to be used like a whore? Did your Nimir-Raj use you and make you couple with the other pard members?"

Mei shook her head, "No…our…our pard was not like that. Our Nimir-Raj and our Nimir-Ra were honorable and did not force anyone to mate if they did not want to."

Carly laughed and that laugh made Mei cold like someone emptied a bucket of ice cold water on her head, "Leave Sam alone, cat. I know your worse nightmare now and what makes you afraid to sleep at night. If you do anything with Sam I will make you relive it over and over until you go mad."

Mei swallowed hard again and was about to say something when Sam walked back into the room. She was somewhat grateful because what she was going to say may have gotten her killed. Sam smiled at them.

"Glad you two are making nice."

Carly glared at Mei and stood up and smiled at Sam, "We are trying. I will be back in a couple of hours."

Sam nodded and walked Carly to the door where she removed the holy wafer and then she suddenly gave Carly a hug. "Be careful…please…I…I just think something may happen tonight. When you were getting dressed I felt a…hell I don't know but I felt something."

Carly smiled and kissed Sam gently on the lips, "I will be careful…don't worry about me. You need to worry more for yourself."

Sam smiled, "Well I am more worried for you. I am not the one leaving the house at night with some crazy vampire bitch out there with a small army of werewolves to help her."

Carly laughed, "Her pet wolves are the least of my problems. Her vampire followers are worse…much worse."

Sam groaned, "Well that makes me feel so much better."

Carly laughed and left the house. Sam walked back into the kitchen and saw Mei holding her own hands tight on the table. Sam thought she looked pale.

"Mei…Mei…Mei!" Sam called and finally the other girl looked up. "Are you ok?"

Mei gave Sam a smile and Sam could tell it was fake. "Yeah…just thinking about something."

Sam sat down to finish her sandwich, "What?"

Mei shrugged and stood up, "Just…Sam, if you wanted something but you knew if you tried to get it you would get hurt…maybe even die…would you still try and get it?"

Sam shrugged as she chewed her food. She swallowed and looked up at Mei, "I don't know…I mean…you know…I think I would. If I really wanted it I would. There are things I would risk my life for."

Mei smiled and stood closer to Sam and reached out and ran her small delicate fingers through Sam's hair. Sam's first instinct was to pull back but she felt a pull in her stomach and even lower more sensitive areas and even let out a small moan and closed her eyes. She knew she should pull away and quick but she could not. She could not deny she was very attracted to Mei. Mei pulled her hand back and smiled again at Sam.

"Sorry, Sam…I…I…" Mei started to walk away and Sam grabbed her arm and looked up at her.

"Did Carly threaten you again?"

"Please, Sam…don't say anything. I…I have to learn to fight my own fights."

Sam nodded and let go of her arm, "Sit down, Mei…please."

Mei nodded and sat back down and Sam stared at her for a moment, "Mei, I won't let her hurt you. I promise you that."

Mei shook her head, "Sam, you don't know what you are doing. I…I cannot allow you to protect me."

"I can if I want to, Mei."

Mei shook her head again and Sam saw tears in the girl's eyes, "No, Sam…you can't. It is not that simple. You do not understand what it means if you do it and I allow it. Plus you love her."

Sam shrugged and looked away from the other girl, "I…I think I do. I mean I tell her and she tells me. I…I care about her a lot but I also care about you. I…fuck…how do I know it is love? I have never been in love before and everything is so confusing to me. I mean…hell until I met her I did not know I was gay and…she is a vampire and sometimes she scares the piss out of me. I…I just don't know." Sam's thoughts flashed to Carly when she was sucking the blood off her hand. The look in Carly's eyes had frightened a lot.

Mei smiled, "Just because you like women sexually does not mean you are gay, Sam. I like both men and women and I don't put a label on it. Yes Carly is very scary and she frightens me as well…but you…you don't show it. I have never seen someone stand up to a vampire like you do. Of course I have never met one before but still…you are not afraid to stand up to her and argue with her. I…I can't do that."

Sam shrugged, "When I get mad at her I just tell her how I feel like I would do everyone else. I…I don't think she would hurt me. And I will not let her hurt you either."

Mei frowned, "No, Sam…don't say that. Don't offer me your protection. I…as Carly pointed out to me…I am weak and not an alpha and that means something in the lycanthrope community. Whether it is werewolves, wereleopards, or other wereanimals. Wereanimals protect their own, Sam, and the alpha's protect the weak…the submissive ones like me. Most are honorable but some…like the werewolves Ulric Mathew…he is not nice and he uses his power to bully his people into doing things they don't want to but they can't refuse him. He is their king and no one is strong enough to challenge him. Just…just don't offer me protection, Sam…you don't know what that means to us."

Sam shook her head, "I…I will protect you, Mei, I won't let Carly or anybody hurt you. I promise you that. I want you to allow me to help you."

Mei started crying harder, "Oh…Sam…I…I…I accept and God help you, Sam…you don't know what you just did." Mei slid off the chair and got on her hands and knees and crawled to Sam very catlike. When she was next to Sam's chair she knelt on her knees and held up her right hand and adverted her eyes from Sam. Sam did not know what to do and was about to help Mei off the ground when a voice behind her made her jump.

"Take her hand, Sam, and press it against you cheek. That is if you are going to accept her. If not you must push her away…and you must do so forcefully so that it hurts her and she understands the rejection." Sam turned and saw Miriam standing in the kitchen doorway. She did not look pleased. Sam turned her head back to Mei. She could not hurt the girl. She had no idea what was going on but she knew she could not hurt Mei. Sam reached down and took the other girls hand and brought it to her cheek and Mei started rubbing the hand on Sam's cheek like a cat. Sam heard the girl purring deep in her throat. Sam pressed her cheek harder against Mei's hand and closed her eyes. It felt nice.

Miriam sighed, "Sam, you have to show your dominance now."

"How…what do you mean?" Sam asked, still rubbing her cheek on Mei's hand.

"Get down next to her and lick her face…like a cat…a leopard. Show her you are her alpha. You still have time to reject her…but once you do that then it is too late." Sam noticed Miriam did not sound happy at all. Sam got off the chair and knelt very close to Mei and swallowed hard. The other girl had her eyes closed and was still caressing Sam's cheek with her right hand and the look on her face was one of pleasure. Sam leaned in and ran her tongue up Mei's cheek once and pulled back as she felt Mei shudder in pleasure and moan. Sam did it again on the other side and then once more as Mei moaned in pleasure. Sam felt herself getting turned on and wanted to kiss the other girl so desperately but she did not know if she should.

"Can…can I kiss her?" She asked Miriam.

"Yes…and…drop your shields so you will know what she is feeling." Miriam answered. Sam focused her mind and allowed her mental shields to drop. It was like opening a gate, a large metal wall being lowered. When her shields were lowered she felt a rush of energy hit her and it was coming from Mei as the girl's emotions rushed over her like a wave from the ocean. She sensed lust and desire and that made her blush but she leaned in and kissed the other girl gently on the lips. Sam heard Mei purr louder and the feelings of lust became stronger and she felt moisture build up between her legs. Sam kissed the Chinese girl harder and her tongue entered the other girl's mouth and the pleasurable feeling became stronger as Mei kissed her back. But lust and desire were not the only things she felt; she felt other emotions from the girl. She felt the need for comfort, for safety, and the need to belong; then there was something else…something stronger was trying to break out of the girl and enter Sam's mind. It was the feeling of a large cat…a leopard…trying to break free of Mei and enter into Sam. The feeling was very pleasurable and Sam felt a strong need to call the beast; to have it come to her and accept it. To allow the beast to submit to her and to dominant it…to protect it and to care for it. Sam pushed Mei on the kitchen floor and eased herself on top of the other girl as her tongue licked Mei's lips. Mei moaned in pleasure as Sam bit her lower lip and her mouth moved to the girl's neck and she kissed and nibbled and then sank her teeth gently into Mei's neck. Mei gasped in pleasure as Sam bit her and a low growl escaped her lips but it was not a growl of anger or pain but one of need…the need to be accepted and dominated. The desire rushed over Sam's mind and she bit harder and again Mei gasped and this time cried out in the pleasure as Sam nibbled her neck and to show Mei that she was the dominant…the alpha…and she would protect the lesser beast. Mei's emotions changed and Sam felt it. She still felt the lust and desire but those were overwhelmed with Mei's feelings of need. Not just the need for sex but the need to belong to a group of her kind. The need to be a member of a group of her own kind…the need to belong to a pard with a strong dominant male…a Nimir-Raj…or a strong dominant female…a Nimir-Ra…to protect her, to help her, to feed the beast inside of her. Sam's mouth found its way to Mei's mouth again and kissed the other girl hard and passionate and allowed her own emotions to enter Mei's mind. Mei felt Sam's desire and lust now and then Sam's need to protect her…to help her…to care for her. Mei gasped and then let out a loud cry as her hips thrust off the floor and Sam could sense the girl's emotion change again. This time the lust and desire overwhelmed the other needs and Sam kissed her harder and bit her lower lip again and Mei cried out again and again as her hips thrust off the floor driving her lower body into Sam's pelvic area. Sam could feel Mei orgasm in her mind and she also cried out in pleasure as her hand grabbed Mei's arms and forced them over her head and pinned the smaller girl to the floor. Sam felt the desire to dominate Mei…to control her and to even hurt her a little to show she was the stronger one. Sam's tongue drove deeper into Mei's mouth and she ground her pelvis harder into the girl and she screamed as her orgasm rushed over her body. Mei screamed louder as Sam came and the sensation of feeling Sam's orgasm in her mind brought her to orgasm again. When their pleasures ended Sam lay on top of Mei gasping for breath and Mei was panting under her. Sam brushed her lips against Mei's and looked into the girl's eyes and saw that they were no longer the eyes of a human but the color was a deep amber shade and the pupils formed the pupils of a cat. Sam smiled and for some reason she was not shocked…it seemed normal to her and she kissed Mei again gently but this time the wereleopard moved her head and pushed Sam off of her and sat up. She looked at Sam on the floor with tears in her eyes.

"I…I'm sorry, Sam…oh God…I am so sorry." Mei looked up at Miriam, "I…I did not mean to do this…I…I did not want to do this. She is not one of us…she does not understand and I…I let it go to far. Please, Miriam…don't be mad at Sam. She…she does not understand."

Miriam frowned at Mei, "No…I don't think you did meant to let it go this far. You wanted Sam sexually and you desires made you do it. You should not have let it go this far, Mei...and now it is too late. She offered her protection…her dominance and you accepted."

Mei got off the floor and ran to her bedroom in tears. Sam wanted to get up and run after her but Miriam held her hand up. Sam had forgotten Miriam was in the room and she blushed and looked away from the older lady. She was embarrassed she had sex in front of another person…if it was sex. Sam did not know what happened and she shut her mind off from any thoughts or emotions she was picking up from Miriam. Before she closed her mind she felt anger and disappointment coming from the older lady. Sam took a deep breath and looked back at Miriam. She was ashamed of what the lady saw and of what she did…if she really did anything. She was still confused if she really had sex of not and if she cheated on Carly or not. Sam thought of what Carly did when she fed…_Fuck…she mind fucks people…she told me she did and she made it sound if it was not cheating…but damn if it feels this good with her and the people she feeds on it has to be sex…I mean…fuck that was great and...and…shit! I need to talk to her about this…about what she does_. Sam thought but right now something had upset Mei and Miriam was pissed and she wanted to know why.

"What...what happened. Why is Mei upset and why are you pissed? I…I just told her I was going to help her and not let Carly or anyone hurt her. Is that so bad?"

Miriam sat on the chair and motioned for Sam to get up off the floor and sit down. Sam stood up and almost fell back down. Her legs were still trembling from the orgasm and her panties were soaked from her body's liquids. She stood slowly and sat down in the chair.

Miriam stared at her for a moment and then sighed, "I don't blame you, Sam. I blame Mei for what happened. You did not know but she did. I don't think she meant it to go this far…I hope she didn't. But it did."

Sam looked confused, "What did…what are you talking about? Sorry if we mind fucked each other in front you…I am embarrassed about that and that you saw it. But why be mad at her?"

Miriam smiled, "It was not the sex…metaphysical sex you had with her, Sam. Tell me…what did you feel from her…besides the lust and desire. What else did you feel from her?"

Sam thought for a moment, "Well…loss…the need to belong and the need for someone stronger to protect her. The need to be around others of her kind…loneliness…pain and sadness…those two were very strong."

Miriam nodded, "Yes they would be. Sam, lycanthropes have a desire to need to be around others of their own kind. When not around the others they get sad and lonely especially if they were members or a group before. Mei was a member of a very good group…her pard. They were good, Sam. Their king…their Nimir-Raj…and his wife, the pard's queen…their Nimir-Ra…were good and honorable people, Sam. Mei has not been a wereleopard for long. She is a survivor of an attack and got infected. The one who attacked her was a young man of about twenty three and Mei was dating him. She did not know he was a wereleopard and one night they got into an argument…a bad one…and his temper got the better of him and he changed…he shifted. Now you can't catch lycanthropey when the person is in human form but when that shift you can catch it. He shifted and he attacked her. The leopard form is one of the hardest to catch…besides the tiger…and a wereleopard has to do some serious damage to infect a person. Well he did on Mei. She was in the hospital for almost two weeks. Well the Nimir-Raj of the pard had a decree that no leopard was to attack humans and he found out and killed the boy who attacked her and then took Mei in and helped her during her first full moon and her shift. He then assigned her a mentor…an alpha to help her and teach her. They became very close…like a father daughter relationship…and when the wolves under Mathew's orders killed most of the pard Mei saw Drake…her mentor…killed while trying to protect her so she could run. There are only three that survived, Mei, Zack, and Sherry…and none of them are alphas. I have been in contact with Francis in Vegas and other Nimir-Rajs in other cities trying to find an alpha male that is strong enough to lead a pard and when I do he will move here and form one with other wereleopards."

Sam nodded, "Well that is good…but what does that have to do with me and Mei and what happened?"

Miriam sighed, "Sam…you offered her protection and she accepted it. You are her alpha now…her protector. She…she belongs to you."

Sam shook her head, "No fucking way…I like Mei…maybe more than I should, but I am no one's owner. She does not belong to me. No one should own anyone. She…she is not some pet to own. She is a person."

Miriam held her hand up, "True…she is not a pet and you don't own her. She belongs to you as in you are her alpha to protect until another on who is stronger and protect her if she is willing."

Sam sighed, "Ok…then when another wereleopard comes along and take over she can get his protection. I…I don't care…as long as her and I can stay friends. I…I like her and want to be her friend."

Miriam looked at Sam hard, "Just her friend? What I saw was more than friendship, Sam. What about Carly? Could you protect her from a vampire as powerful as Carly? I know you and her have something…and now you have thrown Mei into the middle. She is not strong, Sam. There are some lycanthropes strong enough to fight Carly and win but Mei is not one of those…she is not even close. Could you defend her against Carly?"

Sam blushed and looked away, "I…I don't know how I feel about Carly or Mei in that way…I…I love Carly a lot…but I also like Mei. I…I don't think Carly would hurt Mei if I told her not to."

Miriam laughed and it was not a pleasant sound, "Sam…don't be naïve. Carly is a vampire and so far she had been…acceptable to be around. But they are possisives creatures, Sam. Very possessive. But let's forget Carly for now. Let's look at the other problem. If a new Nimir-Raj does come here he is going to take over and merge anyone he brings with the three leopards here to form a pard."

Sam nodded, "Well that is good. I…I could feel how much Mei desires to belong…it hurts her not to have others of her kind to be with."

Miriam nodded, "Yes…and that is a problem. As her alpha she is going to be drawn to you and also drawn to her need to belong to another pard."

Sam shrugged, "Well…when that happens I will just have her go to them and she can have her new leader protect her."

Miriam shook her head, "It is not that simple, Sam. He will see you as a threat to him and his leadership. He will see you as another dominant and in order for him to take Mei he…well…he would have to fight you and it is a fight to the death."

Sam swallowed hard, "Are…are you serious?"

Miriam nodded, "Yes…and it has rules. It is one on one and if any one interferes with the fight on your behalf then Mei will be killed." Miriam looked at Sam closely, "Sam…you can't win a fight in a one on one fight with no weapons against a lycanthrope. They are stronger and faster. Mei did not think all of this through. She let her desire and feelings for you take control of her emotions. She should not have accepted your protection. If she rejects the pard to stay with you…which she can do…then her life will be filled with sadness and loneliness. She needs them, Sam. But I…I think she would reject them to keep you safe. And then what? What would you do then, Sam? You like her and care for her that is obvious…but do you love her enough to have her in your life as a relationship? And again, what about Carly. Is she going to accept you and Mei…will the three of you be a happy threesome?" Miriam paused and took a deep breath, "I…I am sorry to be blunt about it, Sam…but you have to know. I am not angry with you. I am mad at Mei for allowing this to happen. She knew better and allowed her personal feeling get in the way. It is not about sex, Sam. I could care less if you are having sex with Mei, Carly, or both of them. It is about something else."

Sam glared at Miriam, "I am not a whore…I…I don't fuck around with just anyone!"

Miriam smiled, "Who are you trying to convince, Sam, me or yourself? I don't think you are a whore but this is not about your sex life. You just formed a stronger bond with Mei now. One that can get you killed or her killed one day."

Sam looked away and out the kitchen window into the dark of the night outside. "Well fuck!"


	28. Chapter 28

Carly walked the streets longing to feed her hunger. She had not fed in almost two days and the little blood she got from Sam earlier did nothing to curb her appetite but actually increased it. She was hungry and tired of feeding off her normal type of victims. She wanted fun before she fed. She was tired of having to see the perversions of the men she fed on. She wanted to feel desire and lust and happiness before she fed. The vampire smiled as she saw the long line of people waiting outside of a night club. She could smell their desires, their lusts, and their blood as she made her way to the bouncer at the door. The man was huge and stood well over six feet and the muscles on his arms and chest seemed about to burst from the black tee shirt her wore. Carly thought he was handsome but no her type. She was not attracted to men who looked like they spent more time in the gym lifting weights than doing anything else. She much preferred the slimmer and tone muscles of a swimmer than those of a weight lifter. She walked to the man and smiled.

"Back of the line, doll." The bouncer ordered her.

Carly smiled and touched his arm, "No…I don't think so. I think you are going to let me in."

The bouncer nodded his head and lowered the velvet rope and motioned for Carly to enter the club. Carly smiled at him and walked into the club. The next bouncer asked for her ID and Carly told him she was over twenty one and he nodded and let her pass into the club. Carly grinned and walked through the double doors the man held open for her that led into the club. The first thing that hit her was the loud techno music and then she focused her eyes to look around. The club area was large and she spotted three bars set up around a very spacious dance floor. The place was crowded with people of all flavors. The age group looked to be from the earlier twenties to the late thirty's and people were dressed in various styles from the Goth look to more conservative business men in jackets and ties. Carly walked to one of the bars and found an empty seat and ordered a glass of red wine that she would not drink. She sat at the bar and shuddered as she smelled the lust and blood in the air that increased her hunger. She looked around the room and saw someone she liked. A well built man was sitting at a table. He had long brown hair that was highlighted a lighter shade of brown and it hung loose and came to his shoulders and was dressed in a well pressed black button up shirt and a pair of stylish black jeans. He was handsome…very handsome and next to him was a very attractive girl with long blonde hair. She was dressed in a light green sleeveless dress that was fitted to show all her lovely curves. Both looked to be in their late twenties. The man glanced at Carly and she smiled at him and he smiled back while the woman followed his gaze and shot Carly a dirty look and put her arm around the man in a very possessive manner. Carly winked at him and the man pushed the girl off of him and walked over to her. When he stood up the vampire estimated his height at about six feet or six one.

"Hell, I'm Duncan…umm…may I buy you a drink?" The man asked in a masculine voice.

Carly smiled, "Oh I am sure you can give me something to drink." She said seductively and the man stared at her with wide brown eyes. Carly had vamped him and he was lost in her dark haunting eyes and would do whatever she wanted of him. He smiled as Carly stood up and leaned in to him as her eyes focused on the pulse of his neck. She ran her tongue up his neck and kissed the beating pulse and let out a sigh of pleasure as she smelled his blood. She could not smell any alcohol in him and she smiled. The vampire hated feeding on the drunk…they just did not taste that good. The man shivered in pleasure and leaned in to kiss Carly but a pair of hands pulled him back. Carly frowned as the man turned to his date.

"Duncan, what in the hell do you think you are doing with that…that girl?" The blonde screamed and Carly smiled.

The man pulled away from his girlfriend and turned back to Carly and the vampire did not need to smell the lust in his blood…his eyes gave it away. "Leave me alone, Teresa…go home." The man told the blonde as he looked over Carly's body. Carly looked around him at the girl.

"Don't worry, Teresa. I only need him for a few moments. You will be a dear and wait for him won't you?" Carly asked the girl. Teresa looked into Carly's eyes and nodded.

"Yes…you can have him. You can have both of us if you want." The blonde said with desire in her voice. Carly laughed.

"No, just him for now…the offer is very tempting and if I had more time I would enjoy you both. But now I think Duncan and I will go into the alley and he will be back soon."

The blonde nodded and sat on the bar stool Carly had given up. Carly grabbed the man's hand and led him around the back past the bathrooms and out a side door. Once in the deserted ally Carly leaned against a wall and pulled the man to her and started kissing his neck as he pressed himself against her. Carly could tell the man was happy and very excited to be there with her as he started grinding his hips against her. Carly smiled at his size as she kissed his neck and lick the pulse in his throat. She would not kill him but take just enough blood to feed her hunger. She allowed her fangs to come out and opened her mouth wide to piece the flesh and to feed as the man kissed her neck and kept thrusting his against her. Carly let out a moan with the pleasure and the man lifted her skirt and ran his hand up the back of her legs and grabbed her butt hard. Carly let out another gasp and knew something was wrong. She no longer felt the need for blood as it was replaced with the need for sex. She shook her head but the feeling did not go away. She knew it was wrong and not what she wanted in her mind but her body craved it. Carly knew something was not right. She knew her mind had been rolled but she could not stop it. It was to powerful and her knew desire for lust was to strong. The vampire knew it was not the man who had rolled her but something…someone else and she could not stop it.

"No…please…no…I…I can't." Carly whispered a whimper as the desire took hold of her. The man just grinned and placed a finger inside the wetness between her legs. Carly gasped in pleasure and held on to Duncan as tight as she could and placed her lips on his neck.

Instead of biting the man to drink his blood, Carly bit his neck in passion as the man pulled down her panties. She felt his hardness press against her through his jeans and she moaned.

"Please…please let me suck it first. I…I want to feel you in my mouth." Carly begged the man and he pulled back and grinned as he let go of Carly. Carly dropped to the dirty alley pavement to her knees and kissed the man through his jeans. She pressed her lips against his hardness and moaned at the size of him. He was very well endowed. The man grabbed her long black hair and twisted it around his hand pulling until it hurt, but Carly did not care. All she wanted was to feel the man in her mouth and then between her wet thighs.

"Suck it, whore. Sick my cock." The man ordered in a deep lust filled voice. Carly looked up at him and smiled as she unzipped his jeans and pulled him out of his pants. She gasped at his size, it was larger than she thought, and took him in her mouth. He pushed her head so his erect penis went down her throat more and more until she gagged but he still forced her and soon she found her rhythm as she relaxed the back of her throat and worked him with her mouth and hands. The man forced her mouth harder onto him and Carly gagged again and let him slip from his mouth to catch her breath. The man laughed and stood her up. The vampire's chin was dripping with salvia and he kissed her driving his tongue into her willing mouth.

"Fuck me…oh please fuck me!" Carly screamed into his mouth as they kissed and the man lifted her and pressed her back against the wall as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She screamed in a mixture of pleasure and pain as his large manhood entered her in one thrust. The man pulled out almost all the way and again shoved deep inside her. Carly screamed as she felt the man's large penis hit her cervix and he repeated it over and over until she begged him to go faster and harder. Carly ripped the man's shirt and pushed it open so she could press her hands against his naked back. The man thrust again and again inside her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned in her pleasure. Carly felt her orgasm building and begged the man to go harder and deeper and he did. She was screaming in pleasure as he thrust deeper and harder into her and then her body tensed and she screamed loudly as her orgasm crashed over her body. She threw her head back and her nails dug into his back drawing blood. The man kept thrusting and Carly's orgasm kept going and she screamed and begged for more. She felt the man tense and knew he was close and she pressed herself hard against him and he came with a loud moan and a grunt as he pushed into her harder and harder. When her was done he let go of the vampire girl and she feel to her knees as the man pulled up his pants and buttoned his shirt. He looked down at Carly and grinned.

"Wow…you are a hot piece of ass, girl." He said and Carly grabbed his legs.

"More…please…I need more. Please don't leave!" Carly begged and the man laughed.

"Yeah you are something else. I need to go in to my date." The man chuckled, "A shame I was not with some friends…you could have had a real good time with all of us." The man jerked Carly off of his legs and walked back into the club.

Carly fell to the street on her hands and knees and started gasping for breath as the need for sex and the lust left her as quick as it had come and the desire to feed took her again. She took a deep breath and stood up and leaned against the wall as she heard a voice from the shadows of the ally.

"Well that was certainly entertaining, Julia. Of course you always did put on a good show." A female voice came from the darkness.

Carly took a deep breath and looked at the direction of the voice and saw a figure step out of the shadow. "Riona…I see your powers have grown." Carly said as calm and with as much dignity as she could given the circumstance. The woman laughed. She walked…more like glided…to Carly as she came into the light. She looked just how Carly remembered her. She stood about five eight, the same height as Carly, and had the same alabaster skin tone, skin that no longer saw the light of day. Her hair was a light red color and it was long and curly as it fell to her lower back. Her face was beautiful with a series of small freckles over her nose. Riona looked to be about twenty two or twenty three but Carly knew she was actually a little over nine hundred years old. She was only twenty two when Cassandra made her and Carly had been there to see it.

Riona was made to complement Cary just as Emmanuelle had been made. Cassandra wanted a match set of three beautiful girls - one brunette, one red head, and one blonde to round out her collection. Emmanuelle was the blonde girl who was made about two hundred years after Carly. She was of French decent and one of the loveliest girl's Carly ever saw. She was killed by another vampire over six hundred years ago and Carly mourned her loss. She was a sweet girl. Riona on the other hand was not. Cassandra found her in an Irish Celtic village nine hundred years ago and was enthralled by her beauty. After she was turned Cary tried to teach her and help her adjust and at first the two were friends, but the redhead vampire soon resented Carly and competed with her and Emmanuelle for Cassandra's attention. It was Riona who killed Emmanuelle and as punishment Cassandra placed the girl in a cross wrapped coffin for twenty years. After her twenty years punishment ended and she was released the already hateful girl became almost insane. Carly could understand why. She herself had spent five years in the coffin as a punishment and it would drive any vampire mad. Vampires cannot die of hunger but they can feel the effects of the starvation. Everyday starving to death while locked in a small coffin wrapped in holy symbols so you cannot escape was the worse torture Carly ever had. To spend twenty years like that would drive anyone mad. Riona hated Carly with a passion and would love to kill her rival but she was not powerful enough. One thing she did have that Carly did not was her power to induce lust on herself and others. Riona was a succubus vampire. She fed not only on blood but on lust as well. She could feed off the lust of others during sex or just by watching others have sex. She fed off the power of orgasms. It did not sustain her as the blood did but it did feed her in different ways. Riona could not give up that feeding as she could not give up the feeding of blood.

Riona smiled as she walked closer to Carly. Her four inch heals of her long thigh length black leather boots clicking on the pavement. Carly thought the girl would look more at home in a bondage club than walking the street as she looked at the redhead's choice of an outfit. She was wearing a black leather outfit that was skin tight and low cut to show her ample cleavage. She was thin but had all the right curves.

"Yes…my power is greater now that I am back with our Mistress. She lends me her strength tonight." Riona pressed against Carly and ran a long black painted nail against the brunette's check. Carly moved her head.

"Don't touch me, Riona. You may have used you power against me tonight but I am still the stronger one. Do not test me, girl!"

Riona laughed, "Why, Julia, you sound cross with me. Do not deny your body…you enjoyed it. I could feel your pleasure…I fed off your pleasure and that of the man's." Riona taunted but she did take three steps back.

"What do you want? I did not know you were back with Cassandra. I thought she allowed you to leave her years ago." Carly said as she pulled up her panties and winced at the wetness between her legs. The man's seed was now beginning to leak out of her.

Riona smiled, "Maybe I wanted to see an old friend. We used to be friends, Julia. Remember how you used to help me? You used to teach me and show me how to take blood without killing…of course you taught me how to kill as well…but you were so kind to me. Maybe I miss that." Riona started to walk to Carly again in a seductive manner but the look on Carly's face stopped her and she frowned, "Maybe I miss sharing your bed, Julia. We loved each other at one time. You, me, and Emmanuelle…we all three loved one another and were so perfect for one another. I miss that…I miss you."

Carly laughed, "And you always were good at the lies, Riona. You killed Emmanuelle out of jealousy for Cassandra's attention just as you would have killed me. Love…what do you know of love? All you know is spite and hate and what you call love is just your lusts."

Riona hissed and flashed her fangs at Carly, "You always were the weak one, Julia…you and Emmanuelle…I never knew why our Mistress loved you more than me. You were always weak when it came to your human emotions. Oh you killed and you killed so lovely and graceful but soon you became weak with your desire for love. You ask me what do I know of love. I ask you the same, Julia…what do you know of love? You never loved your own kind. You were and still are our Mistress's favorite. I share her bed and all I hear from her is how I am not like her precious Julia. And long ago with Emmanuelle was the same…she also loved you more than me. We three were to be perfect for one another…to love one another, but she hated me and loved you. And what did you care? You liked her and maybe cared for her but you did not love her. You do not love our Mistress…you look for love in the silly humans. Can they give you what you own kind can't? What do you get from them Julia? You are not one of them and you never will be. They hate you and are afraid of you…you deny what you are and I despise that in you!"

"You despise everything, Riona…your words do not bother me. Tell me again…what do you want from me? I have already given my answer to Cassandra."

Riona laughed, "Yes but she does not like no for your answer. I am here to give you one more chance. She is calling all her children home, Julia. She is calling her bloodline back to her. She needs us now…she needs your power. She needs the power of the human girl."

"Why…why now? What is she planning, Riona?"

"She is planning on taking her on the council." A male voice said from the shadows.

"Enough, Dante!" The redheaded vampire shouted as the male walked from the shadows. He was tall and very handsome with a well defined face. His long black hair hung loose over his shoulders. Dante was one of the most handsome men Carly had ever seen. It was the reason Cassandra picked him. Dante gave Carly an embarrassed shrug and a weak smile.

"I am not as strong as you, Julia." He said.

Carly gave him a sad look and nodded. "Who is she planning on challenging?"

"The Master of Nightmares." Dante said quietly and looked around as if the name itself would summon the person.

Carly pressed herself against the wall, wrapped her arms around herself, and shivered, "Is she that arrogant? To challenge him? He is the most powerful member of the council besides Lilith."

Riona laughed, "Yes and since our Blessed Mother sleeps he is the one our Mistress will defeat and take his place."

Carly shook her head, "She will get you all killed. She cannot defeat Alaric…no one can. Our Dark Mother is the only one strong enough to defeat him and she has been asleep for a thousand years. No one dares to wake her."

Riona laughed again, "She can defeat him, Julia, and she will…she will with the help of your human lover. Our Mistress now understands her power and she will take the girl and use it for her own. Come back with use, Julia…join us again. We can be like we used to and your human lover can take the place of Emmanuelle…a pretty blonde to complete our Mistress's set. The three of us can become as we once were. We can use our beauty and powers to control kings and queens for our Mistress as we did long ago. We all three can be lovers as it was with us long ago."

Carly shook her head, "No…she can't have her. You can't have her! Samantha will not go through what I did…what you did, Riona. Have you forgotten what Cassandra did to us? Is your love for her that blind? You and her live in the past…the world has changed to much. Our kind can no longer be the power behind the kingdoms and empires as we once were."

Riona smiled, "Maybe…but since you will not come willingly we will hurt you."

Dante gave Carly a pleading look, "Please, Julia…I…I don't want to see you hurt. She promised if you came back tonight she would not punish you as severe…you know you cannot resist her for much longer. She had grown stronger…much stronger. Do not let your lusts for this human girl cause you pain."

Carly shook her head again and stood up straight. "No…I have made my choice. Both of you together cannot defeat me…you both know that."

Dante looked sad but Riona laughed, "I was hoping you would say no. Do not underestimate me, Julia. I am much stronger now…but it is not us that will hurt you." The redhead vampire nodded to the entrance of the ally. "Mathew…she is yours…do not kill her but other than that you can do with her as you will. I can tell she has not fed yet tonight so she will be weaker." Riona held her hand out to Dante, "Come, Dante…as much as I would like to watch we must go…I want to dance and then feed." Dante took her hand and both vampires walked into the ally door of the club.

Carly smiled at Mathew and knew she could take him easily. She normally did not like feeding off lycanthrope blood but she was hungry and he had not shifted form yet so she could get nourishment from him. The blood of a shapeshifter even had an extra kick to it and it would make her feel so much better. She would feed and then finally kill the wolf. Mathew grinned at her and turned his head and Carly saw two other shapes walk into the ally…two other werewolves. The vampire did not like were this was going. One she could handle…two she would be ok…but three would be hard. At least they were not shifting. In human form she may have a chance…if she had fed. Carly heard a noise behind her and knew it was a fourth wolf without turning around. She glanced at Mathew's hands and they were not hands of a human. They were paws of a very large wolf. She sighed and she noticed the other wolves were the same. Wereanimals had four shapes for the strongest. One was their human form; the second was a man beast form if they were strong enough. Like the form Mathew took on the night Carly met him. Half man and half beast. The third form was a full animal form of all shapeshifters, but the fourth was reserved for the most powerful lycanthropes. They could change what ever part of their body into animal form at will. The three in front of her only changed their hands and Carly knew the one behind her was going to be the same. She was dealing with four very powerful shapeshifters and she knew she was in trouble.

"Fuck me." She muttered and her mouth held a brief smile as she thought about what she said. _I have been hanging around Sam to much_; she thought and then prepared herself to fight.

Mathew nodded to the wolf man on his far right and he ran at the vampire. To a human he would have been almost a blur that eyes could not follow, but to a vampire he moved as if normal. Carly used her most powerful weapon on him as she stared at the shape moving to her and the werewolf fell to the ground screaming. He was laying on the pavement screaming and twisting and thrashing about. "Put it out! For God's sake put it out!" The man screamed. In his mind he was on fire and he could feel and smell his flesh burn. Carly ignored him and looked at Mathew. He smiled and the second werewolf charged Carly. She had time to think how stupid they were coming at her one at a time and she moved her body into a fighting stance and when the wolf got close enough she brought her right leg up in a side kick and felt the three inch heel of her shoe sink into the man's left eye. It mad a sick popping sound and he fell back screaming and holding his face with both hands as blood poured through his fingers. Carly knew he would heal but it would take a moment and give her time to focus on the leader. She looked at Mathew and smiled as she released her power. The vampire's hair started whipping around her as if being blown by a strong wind. She bared her fangs as her feet rose off the ground by three inches and her eyes turned blood red. Mathew just smiled and then Carly screamed in pain.

In her anger she made a mistake. She had forgotten the wolf behind her. He ran at her and sliced his claws across her back and Carly screamed in pain as her body was thrown against the brick wall. She sank to her knees and as she struggled to stand Mathew slapped her face and raked his claws across her cheeks. Carly screamed again as the wolf that she used her mind on kicked her in the stomach. She had released him do to her pain. She lay on the pavement groaning and struggled to stand when she felt claws raked across her stomach and chest. Carly screamed again and tried to focus her mind but the pain was too much.

"She does not bleed, Ulric!" Carly heard one of the wolves say.

"The vampire said she did not feed tonight. A shame…I was hoping to taste her blood before we finished."

Carly tried to sit up but another blow landed this time ripping her throat. She started gasping for breath. She heard a loud smack and then the sound of a whimper…like that of a hurt dog.

"Fool…we are not supposed to kill her…just hurt her!" She heard Mathew's voice.

"Sorry, Ulfric…I got carried away. Would the vampires mind if we at least tasted her flesh…maybe just a bite out of one of her legs."

Mathew laughed, "As much as I would enjoy that…no…we are not to hurt her to were she will not heal." He bent down close to Carly as the vampire held her throat and gasped for air.

Carly felt like she was dying and she maybe was. She would heal the wounds but since they were inflicted by a lycanthrope it would take longer to heal and she needed blood. She needed to feed before she could heal the wounds of a wereanimal. The wound in the throat could be a mortal wound unless she fed soon. She looked at Mathew as he leaned in closer and spit in his face. Mathew growled and it was not a human growl but a growl of a large wolf. He raked the other side of her face with his claws. Carly gave a gasping scream…as much as she could with half her throat torn out. There was very little blood since she had not fed in two days but a little trickled out of her throat and Mathew smiled as he dug his claws into her neck painfully and brought his bloody fingers to his mouth and licked them.

"Umm…you taste good, undead whore. No lets see how you feel." With that Mathew reached up and pulled Carly's panties down and had two of his other wolves hold her legs above her head. Mathew placed a finger inside her butt and smiled, "I don't fuck any human's seconds…so your ass is better." He stood up and pulled down his pants and Carly looked and her eyes grew wide. The werewolf could change any part of his body into his beast's shape and he did just that. He had the body of his human form but his genitals was that of his beasts form and it was huge. Carly did not scream or fight. She knew it would be useless and it was something Mathew wanted her to do. She had been rapped thousands of times while serving Cassandra so this was nothing new to her. She did not want it and it would hurt her physically and maybe even emotionally but she would not beg. Instead she looked into the wolf man's gray eyes.

"You…you look upon your death." She managed to get out in a raspy voice but Mathew just laughed at her and spit several times on his manhood to give it some lubrication. Carly screamed in pain as the man penetrated her.


	29. Chapter 29

Sam was in the kitchen after she showered and washed the sex off her body, something she really did not want to do but she was tired of people…well creatures…smelling her and knowing what she had been up to, and was eating dinner that Miriam had cooked. She made Henry a plate and put it aside for the man to eat when he came back from wherever he was at. Sam liked to sit up at night and bug Henry and ask about his past, questions the man never answered, and got a perverse pleasure out of watching him clean his guns and see the look in his eyes when he had enough of her questions and would tell her to leave him alone. Sam didn't through and just kept on with her questions. She liked to think the man liked her. He would sometimes try and hide his smiles at her stupid jokes but Sam knew he thought they were funny. But Sam knew when enough was enough and learned to notice when the man's eyes went cold and dead it was time to stop. Those eyes scared her more than anything…even more than Carly did at times. Mei had yet to come out of her room, well Sam's room the girl was sleeping in, after what had happened earlier and Miriam told Sam to give her time, but Sam had enough and wanted something to do so she would not worry about Carla until the vampire got home. She finished her dinner and just as Henry walked in the house and Sam told him she fixed him a plate and he just grunted his thanks as the blonde went to check on Mei.

Sam found Mei lying on her back on the bed staring at the ceiling. She could tell the petite Chinese girl had been crying. Sam sat on the edge of the bed and smiled at her. Mei looked over and gave Sam a frown.

"You must hate me for what I did to you?" Mei asked.

Sam shrugged, "Well…not really…I mean I still don't understand what I did to be honest with you. Miriam tried to explain it but I am lost."

Mei sat up on the bed and got on her knees behind the blonde girl and placed her arms around her from behind. Sam jumped at the sudden exchange of magical energy between the two girls. It felt like her skin was crawling with insects. It was not an unpleasant feeling and Sam actually liked it once the initial shock wore off. She reached up with her right hand and started gently rubbing her fingers on Mei's arm.

"Mei…I really don't know what the big deal is. I mean…you asked me to help and I said I would. I don't see a problem with that."

Mei sighed as she continued to hug Sam, "For anyone else it would not be a big deal and it would be seen as a friendly gesture…but for a lycanthrope it is a huge deal. For a submissive to ask protection from a dominate person it is like a bond. Other wereanimals or even other preternatural creatures will see you as my protector and if they want me for anything or any reason they would have to either get your approval or…kill you." Mei gave Sam a hard hug and let go and fell back to the bed. "Sam…you have got to understand your life has changed a lot. You went to thinking we…all of this…was only things from movies and books and not real to knowing we are real. It is s different world, sweetie…a new world that will get you killed if you don't know the rules. What I did…I…forgive me, Sam…I did it on purpose. I knew what I was doing and that is why Miriam is so angry with me. I…I never should have done it."

Sam looked at the girl and smiled, "Come on….seriously what is the worst that can happen. So some new leopard man or woman comes to town and decides you belong to them. Well you either go with them or you don't. If you do then I hug you and tell you to visit me as much as you can and if you don't then you come with me. No one owns you, Mei. You have a choice."

Mei looked away from the blonde and shook her head, "No, dear…I do not. In a pack or pard or other wereanimal groups their leader makes the laws and we have to obey them. Our pard was honorable and our king and queen never abused us or made us do anything we did not want to…but if we disobeyed an order he or she had every right to punish us or have another alpha punish us. It did not happen much but it did happen. There is only one way to move up in a wereanimal group and that is to fight. You fight for dominance. Not all fights are to the death. When one can't continue anymore and is to hurt it is over but there are two fights that are to the death. One is when a leader is challenged for the right to rule and the other is when an alpha or dominant wants to take away a submissive from another dominant. I am not a fighter, Sam. I never have been and I knew my place."

"So…you…you were owned by someone else…a…a dominant."

Mei giggled, "No…like I said we were honorable and our Nimir-Raj loved us and protected his people. He outlawed that type of behavior. Since I was new and had not been infected for long I had a mentor…he…he helped me."

Sam nodded and laid down next to the girl on the bed, "You mentioned punishment…like spankings and stuff?"

Mei laughed, "You are so dear…that would be considered fun…foreplay for me and others. No…punishment would be worse. It was real pain inflicted." Mei turned her body to face Sam, "Sam…I am weak for my kind but I am still so much stronger than a human. I am stronger and faster but I don't fight unless I am forced to and if I fought another lycanthrope I would die. I…I need protection…I need to belong to an alpha. You mentioned that I had a choice…I don't. Do you know what would happen to me if I refused the protection of a new Nimir-Raj? I would be an outcast and my life would be worth nothing. I need to belong, dear, I crave it and need it and I…I put you in the middle if a huge problem when you are already in one. I…I am so sorry I did that to you. You…you can reject me." Mei turned her head away and Sam saw her teeth marks on the girl's neck. She had not realized she had bitten Mei that hard earlier.

"How…reject you…what does that mean?" Sam asked.

Mei would not look at Sam. She did not want the girl to reject her but she knew it was for the best. "You…you make me leave…you hurt me. Think of it as like…ummm…getting into a fight and kicking the other person butt very bad and then kicking me from your house. I…I won't fight back. I promise you. I…I will let you do it to me."

Sam stared at the girl, "I am sorry for biting your neck so hard. I did not mean to." Sam ignored the girl's statement.

Mei smiled but did not look at Sam, "You marked me…you showed me you are my dominant…I liked it, Sam…I enjoyed it very much and wish it would not heal by tomorrow. We heal fast…wereanimals. So…should we proceed with the rejection? Don't worry about hurting me to bad. I can heal any hurt that is not made by silver. You…you could even shoot me in the stomach with non silver bullets and it would heal in a couple of days. It would hurt like hell…but it would not even scar. You…you can do that or you can use a knife to simulate claws and teeth…what ever you prefer."

Sam reached out and pulled Mei's head to face her, "Don't be silly…if Miriam does find this new leader or king or Nimir-Raj for you it will take a while and most likely I will already be dead or turned into a vampire by Cassandra." Sam smiled at her own sarcasm. Mei frowned.

"I wish you would not talk like that…I like you and would hate to see you get hurt. Sam…could you or would you kill someone to protect me if you still want to?"

Sam shrugged, "I…I don't know…I would fight someone I know that."

Mei sighed and looked around the room. He eyes focused on a metal picture frame of Sam and her mother that was on the bedside table. She leaned over and picked it up and tested the weight and removed the photo and handed the frame to Sam. It was heavy and made of a heavy stainless steel and the frame was thick. "Bend it, Sam." Mei asked and Sam tried to bend it and finally gave up.

"I can't…it's to strong…why." Mei ignored Sam's question and took the frame from her and held it in both her hands and bent the frame so it folded. She gave it no effort and Sam's eyes were wide.

"How…how the fuck did you do that?"

Mei shrugged, "I told you we are stronger and faster." Mei looked at Sam, "Sam, I am considered weak by my kind's standards...if you are going to be foolish enough not to reject me then you had better learn how to kill and be willing to do it." Mei turned her head back to Sam, "I am really sorry I did this to you…maybe it would be best if you rejected me."

Sam smiled still holding Mei's head in her hand and she gently pulled the girl to her and leaned in. She felt Mei tense and the Chinese girl let out a small whimper and then their lips met. It was not a passionate kiss but a gentle kiss of the girls testing each other. Sam pulled back and smiled.

"I…I like you to, Mei…but I…I am with Carly I guess. I…fuck I don't know what I want. I love her…or think I do. I am sorry I should not have done that."

Mei smiled, "I am not sorry you did. I liked it and you know how I feel. I told you before…I don't mind sharing. Carly may…hell she will…but I don't mind. I…I would like for you to kiss me again."

Sam smiled and nodded, "Just a kiss…I…I am still confused and I don't want to do anything we may regret."

Mei nodded, "I can wait until you make up your mind. Just wish while you were making up your mind I would get the same perks as Carly and get to fuck you." She gasped as Sam pulled her hair and forced her mouth on hers again. This kiss was more passionate and as Sam's tongue move into Mei's welcoming mouth both girls jumped apart when they heard car tires squealing outside the house, the sound of a car door being slammed shut and then the sound of burning tires again. They jumped off the bed and ran into the living room. Sam was running to the door to look outside when Henry grabbed her around the waist.

"No…we need to see what it was before we open the door." Sam looked up at the man and noticed he had his pistol in a shoulder holster and in one hand was a machine gun that Sam recognized Heckler and Koch UMP. She knew that because she had fired the gun on the shooting range and Henry made her remember each gun she had shot. Sam loved shooting it…it gave her a sense of power. Henry handed Sam her pistol and went to the window. He eased the curtains back and turned to her.

"I see a figure on the ground crawling to the house slowly…who ever it is…seems hurt bad." He looked at the window again, "Fuck! It's Carly…she looks bad." Henry told Sam as the figure outside crawled into the light from the porch.

"NO!" Sam yelled and darted for the door and Henry grabbed her. "Stop, Sam…it may be a trap."

Sam had tears in her eyes, "Its Carly for God's sake…we have to get her." Sam looked out the window and saw the figure laying half on the paved walkway and half on the grass of the front yard. She was no longer moving. Sam screamed and ran to the door again but Henry held her back.

"Sam…listen to me…I know you care for her and we are going to get her, but we do it my way. Understood?" Sam nodded, "Good…you take the H&K and cover me while I go get her. Anything moves besides me and her you shoot it. You shoot to kill and don't think twice about it. Aim low since you know it will kick up." He handed the machine gun to Sam and smiled, "If you hit it right…I have cut a vampire in two at the waist with one of these babies…can you do that, Sam. Shoot to kill without thinking about it? My ass is on the line out there and I need to know if you can cover me."

Sam nodded, "I…I think so…yeah…I can." Henry looked at her with doubt in his eyes but he had no other choice. Sam was not strong enough to carry Carly inside the house quickly so he had to do it. Henry really did not care if the vampire lived or not. They had a working truce but he knew once this job was done and they survived Cassandra he would one day have to kill Carly. She was a powerful vampire and if a contract came around to him for her death he would take it. She was too much of a challenge for him not to and Henry loved a challenge. But right now he made a promise to protect Sam and he always kept his word. Plus he kind of liked the blonde girl.

"I…I'll get her." Mei said as she walked to the man and the girl. "I can carry her with no problem and I am faster and stronger than both of you."

Henry nodded, "Ok…go on three and I will cover you." Henry counted to three and opened the door and jumped outside and took up a shooting stance as Mei darted by him in a blur of movement. She quickly picked Carly up like she was carrying a sleeping baby and ran back in the house. Henry followed her back inside and motioned for her to put Carly on the couch. Mei did and stood back as she prevented Sam to go to the vampire.

"No, Sam…don't…it…its bad." Mei said as she tried to restrain Sam but the blonde pushed her away and ran to the couch and knelt down next to the vampire.

"Oh, Carly…oh God." Sam cried as she looked at the girl on the couch. There was not much blood but Sam could see her face had been slashed deep and her chest was exposed and she could see muscle tissue, bones, and even what she thought were the girl's lungs. She screamed as she noticed Carly's throat looked almost torn out.

Henry moved her out of the way and Mei kneeled next to her and held her. "She needs to feed so she can heal. Normally these are not killing wounds but she had not fed in a couple of days so she is not healing. If she does not heal she may die." Henry then noticed something Sam had overlooked. Pinned into Carly's chest was a not. It was nailed into her right breasts with a large nail. Henry pulled the nail out and Carly groaned and opened her eyes.

"I…blood…I…I need blood." Carly said in a weak and raspy voice. Sam nodded and moved Henry out of the way as he read the note.

"Henry…give me your knife." Sam said softly.

Henry nodded and handed Sam a knife her pulled from his boot. He knew what she was going to do. Sam was going to cut herself and have Carly feed off of her to heal. Sam took the knife and raised it to her arm to cut herself.

"No! Sam…no! Let…let me." Sam looked at Mei, "My…my blood will help her heal faster. As a wereleopard it has an extra kick to it and she will heal quicker."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked and Mei nodded.

"Yes…but…I…I can't cut myself…let her…let her bite me if she can and if not you cut me."

Sam nodded and turned back to Carly, "Carly…baby…can you hear me?" The vampire nodded and Sam continued, "Can you bite her? Do you have the strength?" Carly nodded again as she looked at Mei. Sam moved away to let Mei closer.

Mei looked over her shoulder at Sam and Miriam. Henry was reading the note. "Can…Can I take her to the basement. She needs rest and we would have to move her anyway…I…I don't want you to see this, Sam." Sam nodded and Mei carried Carly to the basement. She laid Carly down on the bed and then lay next to her facing the vampire.

"What is better…the neck or the wrists or…where."

Carly looked at her, "The…the neck is quickest." She answered and then smiled at Mei. "I…I can make it feel pleasurable, Mei…I…I promise I won't make it hurt."

Mei nodded, "Just…just do it before I change my mind." Carly nodded and Mei placed her arms around Carly's neck and pulled her close as she turned her head. She saw Carly lean up slowly and open her mouth. The vampire's fangs were exposed and the wereleopard girl closed her eyes waiting for the pain to start. Mei gasped loudly as Carly sank her teeth into her neck but it was not due to pain. As the vampire bit into the other girl her mind rolled into the wereleopard's and Mei felt nothing but sexual pleasure. She did not even have time to feel wetness between her legs as she screamed over and over in the most intense orgasm she ever felt. She clutched Carly hard and pulled the vampire closer to her.

"More…please…don't stop…please more!" Mei screamed and she felt Carly growing stronger and opened her eyes and glanced down at the vampires face. The slash mark on Carly's face healed quickly and disappeared leaving no trace behind of what had happened to her. Carly pushed herself harder into the other girl and continued to drink. Mei saw the wound in the throat start to close slower since it was deeper and she closed her eyes again as another wave of pleasure washed over her. She was lost in her own ecstasy that it was to late before she felt herself getting weaker. She tried to push Carly away but the vampire was too strong even for her.

"Please…stop…too much…you are taking too much…please…" Mei begged as Carly continued to feed. Soon Carly pushed the girl away from her and Mei opened her eyes and saw her blood around Carly's mouth and teeth as the Vampire closed her eyes and shuddered in delight. Mei was too weak to move due to the pleasure she got and the loss of blood. Carly looked at her and smiled.

"I am sorry…I did not mean to take so much." The vampire said in a strong voice.

Mei just nodded her head. She knew it was a lie. She knew Carly took more than she needed but the terrible thing was Mei would do it again and again just to feel the pleasure Carly gave her.

"It…it is okay…I…I can regenerate blood faster than a human. I…I'll be ok." Mei whispered, "I…I just need to lay her for a moment."

Carly nodded and got off the bed. She was healed, fed, and strong as the lycanthrope blood ran through her body with energy she never got from a human. She looked down at the panting girl and smiled, "I would thank you…but we both know you did that so Sam would not have to experience it." Carly said in a mocking tone.

Mei looked up and gave the vampire a half smile, "Yes…just like we both know you took too much on purpose…but…that was incredible. Is it always like that?"

Carly shook her head, "Only if I want it to be. I allowed you pleasure because you volunteered to let me feed off you…regardless of the reason I owed you."

Mei nodded, "So we are back to where we were then…hating one another?"

Carly laughed, "Hate you…I don't hate you my sweet little cat." Carly ran her fingers through Mei hair seductively, "I don't think enough of you to hate you. You are nothing to me…remember that."

Mei swallowed hard and if she had the strength she would have ran from the room in fear. She let Carly caress her since she really did not have a choice and close her eyes. "I…I need to rest a moment."

Carly nodded and removed her hand. "I will go upstairs and tell them you are fine and I did not drain you completely…at least not this time." Carly smiled and walked up the stairs. Mei let out air from her lungs she was holding in her fear as her eyes followed Carly's form up the stairs. As a wereleopard she could sense power in other preternatural beings and she could sense Carly's and knew she was way out of her league. The pleasure she got from Carly felt like making a pact with the devil.

"And stop calling me your little cat!" Mei yelled after Carly and she heard the vampire laugh and that laugh sent cold shivers up her body. She eased herself into the corner of the bed as Carly walked down the stairs and sat on the edge of the bed. Mei flinched in fear as Carly ran her hand up her leg in a loving caress.

"What do you know of vampires, my little cat?" Carly asked. Mei shook her head.

"Enough to know you are nothing but evil."

Carly laughed again, "Maybe…maybe not…I have known some who were not evil as you say. Of course they did not survive long." Carly continued to caress Mei's leg and Mei shivered but this time in pleasure. Carly smiled at her.

"You want me…I can tell you want me." Carly said in a seductive voice.

Mei shook her head, "Lust is not the same as wanting someone. I lust after other people I would never have sex with. Plus…I think you are fucking with my mind."

Carly smiled, "That may be true…I am very good at that. But I ask you again…what do you know of vampires…vampires like me who are master vampires and powerful?"

Mei shook her head again and moved her leg. Carly was right…she wanted the vampire desperately. She did not know if it was her true feelings or what Carly had done to her earlier…regardless she was never going to act on them. "N…nothing…you are the first one I have met."

Carly nodded, "A master vampire inherits certain powers from their maker's bloodline. Cassandra…my maker and previous mistress is powerful enough to create her own bloodline…simply put…if I gave my dark gift to a human they would have to serve me but Cassandra would be their Mistress since I am not strong enough to have my own bloodline." Carly waved her hands in front of her like she was swatting a fly, "As I said…I inherited some of my maker's powers…my ability to use my mind stronger than most vampires and another nice little trick." Carly gave Mei a lustful stare as she once again touched the other girl's leg. "I can call your beast, my sweet tasting cat…I can force you to change just by a simple touch and a thought. Cassandra can do it at a distance…that is how she is controlling the wolves…that and a promise of power for their Ulfric." Carly's hand tightened around Mei's leg.

Mei closed her eyes and started shaking. In her mid she saw her beast. A beautiful black panther with amber eyes and a white left front paw. She had been told her animal form was one of the loveliest some had ever seen. Her leopard was laying down asleep in its safe haven in Mei's body and mind. She lay on the soft grass deep in a wooded area surrounded by tall evergreen trees looking peaceful. Suddenly the large cat opened its eyes and stood as it heard Carly's call and started pacing back and forth restlessly wanting to break free. Mei begged it to relax…to sleep again but the leopard wanted out. She wanted free and started walking up the grassy tunnel surrounded by the trees and then it started to run to the end of the tunnel to break free. Mei closed her eyes tighter and focused and the cat suddenly stopped and a large wall of tress blocked its path. It growled and started pacing back and forth again looking for a way out. The cat started pawing the ground and Mei screamed as she felt the claws of the cat inside her body trying to break free. She felt as if the beast was going to claw her way out of her body and rip her apart. She never felt such pain before from her beast…her friend…her loving partner…when she shifted in the past. Even her first shift was less painful than this. After she worked with her mentor she learned to let the beast out willingly and the joining of her cat and her human form became almost a pleasant feeling, but now that the cat was being forced from her trying to answer the call of a vampire it was hurting her…like it did not belong to her anymore. The cat ran to a tree that blocked its way out and slashed it with its front paw and clawed the tree. Mei screamed again as the pain ripped inside her chest.

"Please…please stop…I…it hurts…please no more!" She begged Carly and the vampire laughed and let the beast go. The cat inside her relaxed and stretched her body and yawned as it lay back down on the grassy forest floor and closed her eyes to sleep. Mei controlled her beast again.

Mei lay on the bed gasping and crying as she looked at Carly. Carly smiled again, "See…you are my little cat. I can call it whenever I want and it will obey me…not you."

Mei looked at the vampire with a pleading look in her eyes, "Am…am I that much of a threat to you and Sam…that you have to hate me so much? Do you fear my feelings for her and maybe hers for me that much to give me such pain and fear?"

Carly's smile vanished from her face and she got off the bed and looked at the scared girl, "Yes." She said and walked back upstairs to inform the rest of the house that Mei's screams were nothing to be concerned about.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N – When I started this chapter I did not mean it to be so long but I started developing Mei's character and liked it…I promise the scary vamps are coming and the real horror begins soon!**

Carly had changed clothes before she walked out of the basement and was wearing a pair of purple jeans and a plain black tee shirt. She had left the wereleopard girl cowering in the corner of the bed as she went upstairs to learn more of the mysterious note that Riona had nailed into her chest after the wolves abused her. She desperately wanted to shower and wash her body clean but the note was more important at this moment. The vampire walked into the kitchen and saw Sam sitting at the kitchen table reading the note very carefully like she was studying every word. Henry was sitting at the table across from her watching the blonde girl's face and Miriam was loading dishes in the dish water. Carly walked into the kitchen not making a noise and placed her hand on Sam's shoulder. The blonde girl jumped, turned her head, and smiled at Carly. Carly and Henry stared at one another for a moment and both could sense the tension between them and knew one day they would battle to the death. Carly actually adverted her gaze first and that made her angry at herself; she had faced a number of powerful vampires and wereanimals and other creatures most people only knew from myths and legends in her two thousand years of being undead but this man…this human…she feared. Henry did not give himself the name the Grim Reaper…the bringer of death…it was given to him by the vampires and when he came calling they took notice and even the most powerful among them would know fear. Carly chuckled softly as she thought of Van Helsing. Van Helsing was a pussy compared to the Reaper. Carly looked back down at Sam and smiled.

"Hey…you okay now?" Sam asked.

Carly nodded, "Yes…I am fine thank you…and thanks to Mei. That was unexpected and even kind on her part." Carly stayed behind Sam in a possessive manner.

Sam nodded and then frowned, "We…umm…we heard screams…she was screaming."

Carly nodded and glanced at Miriam who had turned around and focused her gaze on Carly. Carly stared at the witch, "She is fine…I must confess I took to much blood from her…by accident…and she got scared. I did not mean to but my hunger overcame me. Your pet cat is fine through…she will recover after a short rest. She heals quickly." Miriam placed the dish towel on the kitchen counter and walked quickly out of the kitchen and down into the basement. She wisely did not trust the vampire. Carly smiled as her eyes followed the witch. She knew Mei would not say anything about what had happened in the basement, the girl was too afraid. Carly turned back to Sam who was still frowning.

"You are not being honest with me…I can tell." Sam said and Henry excused himself form the table and walked out of the kitchen. He knew it was not his place to listen to a lovers quarrel.

Carly looked down and nodded her head, "Yes…I am not being honest with you. The truth is that I allowed the girl pleasure when I fed off of her, Samantha. I thought it was the kind thing to do since she allowed me to feed from her. It had some side effects."

Sam's sat up right in the chair and her eyes became cold, "What do you mean…you allowed her pleasure? You…you mind fucked her didn't you? God…I cannot believe this! You fucked her! And what do you mean…side effects…what does that mean?" Sam shouted and then felt guilty…what had she done earlier? What would she have done in the bedroom with the girl if they had not been interrupted when Carly was thrown at their doorstep. She had no right to feel jealous or mad, but damn it she was.

Carly sighed and sat down and took Sam's hand, "Sam…would you rather that I had let her feel the pain it would have caused? You care for her…a great deal. I know that and if I would have let her feel the pain you would have been angry with me just like you are now. I tried to do the best for her and you…I…I just don't understand this love nonsense…these feelings I have anymore. Everything I do is wrong when it comes to you. Sex I understand, lust I understand, desire I understand, hate I understand, revenge I understand…but love…I…I do not understand. I…I am sorry I let her enjoy it."

Sam shook her head and looked at her hands on the table, "No…I am the one that is sorry. I got well…I got jealous and had not right to get mad. I mean…well…we have sex and all but we never defined our relationship honestly…right now I don't want to." Sam looked up and stared at Carly. "I was so fucking worried! I was so scared when I saw you laying in the yard! I…I thought you were dead…don't ever do that to me again!"

Carly smiled, "I will try, baby. May I look at the note?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah but first…explain to me what you meant by side effects with Mei…I mean…is she going to be alright?"

Carly laughed and once again Sam felt that laughter wash around her body and she felt warm…like a warm blanket was wrapped around her and all she wanted to do was press it close to her body and feel its warmth and cuddle up with it. "Yes she will be fine, but when I had to use my powers it leaves a certain effect behind…she will get over it shortly."

"What effect?" Sam said in a suspicious tone.

Carly smiled, "Nothing bad…she will just feel lust and desire for me for a while."

Sam's eyes went wide, "Define a while please."

Carly grinned, "A few hours, Sam…nothing more. It could not be helped."

Sam shrugged, "Whatever…tell me what happened to you."

Carly told Sam what had happened that night leaving out the sex with the human man and the rape from the werewolves. She was not emotionally upset about the rape and thanks to Mei's blood any pain and injury she sustained was now gone. She spent hundreds of years being used and raped and tortured at her Mistress's whims so to her what was one more night, but she did not want to upset Sam.

Sam nodded, "I…I am sorry you got hurt. From now on you need to…ummm…feed every night so you can stay strong…but…I…I hate you going out."

Carly nodded, "Yes…but what do you suggest…I feed off of the leopard girl nightly? I don't think she would like that."

Sam chuckled, "No…and neither would I. I don't know…but just be careful…please. You mean something to me, Carly. You mean a lot to me and I don't want to see you get hurt."

Carly smiled and leaned over the table and kissed Sam. "You mean something to me as well, Samantha. No about the note…it was pinned to me very painfully so I have a right to read it I think."

Sam nodded, "Yeah you do and Henry and I are trying to figure out what to do. He does want you to look at it and help us decide."

Carly nodded and started reading the note as Sam called Henry back into the kitchen. Carly read the note which was an invitation.

_My foolish friends,_

_I, Cassandra of Troy, invite you all to a dinner party tomorrow at one a.m. A truce to discuss the important matter of your silly lives; a vampire truce and you have my promise that no one will be harmed unless the truce is broken. If you decline the invitation then I will bring death upon you and it will be terrible to witness. To keep the situation in order I will match my numbers to yours. Five guests and five hosts. _

_Formal attire will be required and the food will be to the liking of both the living and the dead. Only one of your silly weapons will I allow you to bring for the Reaper. I do not trust him and know to well his reputation. I look forward to seeing you here for a delightful evening and tell the wereleopard girl Mathew is looking forward to seeing her._

_Samantha, please wear something green…I think you would look darling in green._

_My lovely Carly, you know what color I have always adored on you._

_The witch…I am sure she will wear white so I must choose another color for myself or we will clash. I do so hate to clash._

_My word no one will be harmed from this time until the night after the party provided you keep the terms of the truce. Of course if all goes well and we reach a mutual agreement then no one will have to be hurt in the future._

_I await you with anticipation, _

_Cassandra._

Carly placed the note on the table and by the time she had finished reading Miriam and Mei were now back from the basement. Miriam stood in the entrance of the kitchen and Mei dropped to her knees and curled up around Sam's legs on the floor like a cat wanting attention or protection. It made Sam uncomfortable but she did her best to ignore it. Carly glance at them and sighed, "Well it looks like we are going to a party."

Sam gave her an unbelievable look, "You mean we just go…just like that? I…I think it is crazy to go. It could be a trap."

Carly shook her head, "No, dear, it is vampire politics. We like to show off…to make things very theatrical and Cassandra loves to play the perfect host. She called for a truce and that means rules. She won't harm us if we do nothing to break the truce…but of course she will play her game and try to make us break it. We go…but we will be very careful."

Henry nodded, "Yes…I agree." He looked at Sam, "Vampires are strange this way, Sam. As Carly mentioned they like to show off and this is her way of showing her power to us. She will keep her word as strange as that might sound, but she will do everything in her power to make us break the truce. She will try and force us to make a move to fight her. We go but we will be careful."

Sam looked at Miriam over her shoulder, "Do you agree? We need a vote to make sure everyone is in agreement. I…I don't want to force anyone to go if they don't want to."

Miriam nodded, "I will go…I have no spells that can protect us from her powers…they are to strong…but I can ward us against some things she may use." Carly rolled her eyes at the witch's words. She knew the woman had nothing that could compare or defeat any of Cassandra's powers.

Sam nodded and looked at the floor…at Mei curled up against her legs, "Mei…sweetie…what about you. I…I think they want something from you. I don't like how she mentioned you and this Mathew guy. If you don't want to go then don't."

Carly made a face at the term of endearment Sam used with Mei but she ignored it. She put her jealousy on hold for more important matters. Mei looked up at Sam and then glanced at Carly and then back to Sam.

"He wants me dead…and wants to know where Zack and Sherry are hiding…but…but I will go." She said as she looked at the vampire again. She was tired of being weak around Carly. She was tired of the vampire seeing her fear. The girl looked back at Sam and smiled, "It seems we get to go shopping in the morning for new dresses."

Sam chuckled, "Yeah…as much as I hate it I guess we need to. Fuck…I hate dressing up."

Carly laughed and this time it was a human sounding laugh with no side effects, "But I think you will look so pretty. My advice on someone who knows Cassandra…no frilly dresses you would wear to the prom. She likes outfits that are sexy and revealing. I will write down what you should get. "

Sam sighed, "Yeah…but I don't like this…okay we go."

The next morning Sam and Mei left the house to go shopping for their outfits and even needed food for them while Miriam left to buy the needed ingredients for her wards and spells. Carly mocked the witch's ability the rest of the night until Sam asked her to please leave the woman alone. Henry stayed home mentioning he would have something to wear by the time they got back. Sam had no clue what it could be since the man was still a mystery but she learned if he said he was going to do something it got done. Sam looked at the list Carly made and laughed as she showed it to Mei. It described the best choices for their required attire and Mei looked at it.

"You have got to be kidding me?" The Chinese girl muttered.

Sam grinned, "Yeah…but think how hot you will look. Any idea where to get an outfit like this?"

Mei smiled, "Yeah…I know where. And please don't ask me how I know…just trust me that I know."

Sam nodded her agreement but gave Mei a curious look. Mei looked over at Sam who was driving, "What…stop looking at me like that. I…I just know okay…gesh."

Sam grinned, "Okay I won't ask…but you really peaked my interest and curiosity."

Mei giggled, "About damn time."

Sam laughed and looked at the street, "Shut up."

Mei giggled again and looked at the list, "Hell…at least you get to wear something normal."

Sam shrugged, "I would not call that normal. I…I am not used to wearing clothes like that and heels…God I have to wear fucking heels." Mei laughed.

"Yeah…but you will look so hot." She said with a smile and teasing Sam.

Sam laughed, "Shut up." After a long silence Sam got the courage to ask Mei the question that had been on her mind all night and morning. "Mei…last night…what did she do to you…I mean _I know what she did to you_…but what else?"

Mei shrugged and looked out the window, "What did she tell you?"

"Well…that she accidentally took to much blood and…and she made it feel good…what did she mean by that?"

"Just that...I…I don't want to talk about it."

Sam shook her head, "No…we are going to. Did…how did she make it feel good…I mean I don't understand that…how did it feel."

Mei looked at Sam with anger in her eyes, "What do you want me to tell you, Sam? It felt good okay. It…it was the best damn thing I ever felt! When she bit me she made me come, Sam, she made me come over and over again in a way I never have before. I…I begged her not to stop! It was one constant long orgasm and it felt wonderful and I…I wanted her to do it again and again." Mei yelled. She did not tell Sam the rest. She was afraid of Carly and more…she was afraid if she told Sam the rest the blonde would confront Carly again and she knew if Sam kept confronting the vampire Carly would eventually get so angry she would hurt Sam and that was something she did not want.

Sam swallowed hard, "And…and how did you feel after it was done. I mean…did it make you want her for real?"

Mei looked back out the window. She did not want this conversation but knew Sam would keep asking, "Why, Sam…why do you want know? Who are you jealous of…me or her?" Mei looked back at Sam and her voice calmed down. "I…I wanted her to do it again, Sam. God help me but I wanted her to bite me again and make me feel the same way. I…I would have done anything she asked of me at that moment. If she wanted me for real I would have fucked her…I would have allowed her to use me in anyway she felt as long as she bit me again...even if it meant her draining every once of blood from my body and killing me. That was how it felt. But…but afterwards when she left I…I felt violated…I felt used liked I was raped."

Sam nodded as she remembered when Carly drank blood from her hand and how good the vampire made her feel then, "Was…was it better than when we…well…you know…when we mind fucked?

Mei stared at Sam for a moment, "Please, Sam…don't go there. I…I don't want you to go in that direction…please. I don't want her. I did at that time and for a while after it but it was all a mind game with her. It was not real."

Sam nodded and she knew she had her answer, "Sorry…I…I'm sorry."

Mei smiled and placed her hand on Sam's thigh, "Its okay…I know you were jealous." Sam smiled at her and Mei turned her head to look back out the window and whispered, "I just wish you were jealous about me and not her."

Mei did not mean for Sam to hear her but the blonde did. They were stopped at a red light and Sam reached over and ran her hair through Mei's hair. "I…I was…I was jealous of both of you." Mei turned and smiled, "I…I am confused, Mei…hell I was a virgin until Carly came along. Please…just give me time…I want both of you to give me time."

Mei nodded, "Okay…no where do we go first? You clothes or mine?"

Sam laughed, "Oh yours…definitely yours."

Mei giggled, "Yeah I thought you would say that. Go downtown on Cherry Street…there is a store there where I can find this…this outfit."

They did not talk as Sam drove into the downtown area. Both girls could sense the tension in the car about what had happened between Mei and Carly as well as another tension Sam did not want to think about…sexual tension. Sam loved Carly or thought she did until she got to know Mei and she knew she desired Mei but did not know if she loved the girl. Mei made it clear to her that she was not into the monogamy scene and would not mind if Sam dated and had sex with both her and Carly…not at the same time of course, but Sam did not know if she could do that. Her whole life since she discovered about boys and sex she had been a good girl. True she made out with boys a lot but it never went as far as kissing and then Carly came into her life and she discovered she was attracted to girls as well. At first, even after Carly took her virginity, she thought maybe just maybe Carly used her vampire mind tricks on her to make her feel attracted to her and then Mei showed up. The girl may have some powers due to he being a wereleopard but she did not have the same mind tricks Carly did and then Sam knew she liked girls. She did not know if she still liked boys in that way…she enjoyed kissing them but never met one that made her want to have sex with him. Maybe she just had not met the right one yet or maybe she was a lesbian. She was not worried if she was a lesbian and figured if she was she was.

Sam pulled the car over and parked on the side of the street per Mei's instructions and looked at the store and groaned and glanced at Mei.

"You are fucking kidding right? We can't go in there…I can't go in there." Sam said to the other girl.

Mei smiled, "Sure you can. Henry gave you that fake ID so you can get in."

Sam shook her head. "That's not the problem. The store is the problem." Sam looked back at the store and shook her head. It was a BDSM adult store that sold and catered to the underground sadomasochism community. "Nope…I am not going in there."

Mei laughed and opened her door. "Yes you are. It is the only place to get my outfit _your_ girlfriend is making me wear. If I have to wear it you are coming in."

Sam shook her head again, "First…she is not my girlfriend…I don't think…and second…no way. No fucking way."

Mei got out of the car and walked around to Sam's side and opened the door. She made a little bowing gesture and smiled, "Come along, Mistress, we have shopping to do." Mei teased and Sam made another groaning sound and got out of the car and followed Mei into the shop. In the windows were mannequins dressed in fetish wear that made Sam blush. Mei giggled and held to door open for her. As they walked in there was a foyer and a sign that read 18 and over only. Behind a counter was a man checking ID's. Sam stared at the man for a moment as she pulled her fake ID out of her wallet; the ID that Henry had made for her so she could get a license to carry a handgun. He also had a fake birth certificate made for her to and they were both so well done that when she registered her new gun no one asked her any questions. It was the same with the man in the store. He looked at her ID and nodded she could go in. Sam studied him for a moment as he checked Mei's ID. Hers was real since she was nineteen. He was tall, well built in a body builder sort of way and the muscles threatened to burst though his to tight tee shirt. He looked to be about twenty five and had a full goatee and unshaved stubble on his face. He smiled at Mei.

"Haven't seen you around much, Lotus. We missed you at the parties. Does this mean you are back in the scene."

Mei smiled, "No…just doing a little shopping, sir. Maybe soon I will be active again. I have some personal problems I am dealing with."

The man nodded, "Well good to see you again and come back soon. A lot of people have been asking about you and wanting to play."

Mei dropped her eyes and smiled, "Yes sir. Hopefully it will not be to long."

Sam watched the conversation and got confused. She could tell they knew one another and was curious how and what parties were they talking about. Sam thought maybe the man was a lycanthrope like Mei and she decided to find out. She and Mei have been shielding their minds like crazy all day for different reasons. Sam because she was so tired of people knowing how she felt and what she may have been thinking. While no one could actually read her mind if they were preternatural like Mei and Cary and even Miriam they could pick up on her emotions and her energy and she was tired of that. Mei was shielding her mind for two reasons. The first was that she did not want Sam to pick up on any feelings she was thinking about what Carly had done to her the previous night and more importantly she was trying to keep her beast calm. It was five days before the full moon and the closer it got the harder it was for her to control the beast inside of her. If she was a more experienced wereanimal she would not have a problem but she was new to their world and it was harder for her to control. Add the fact that Carly almost released it last night her beast was restless.

Sam allowed a crack in her mental shields and felt the power of Mei's aura identifying her as not totally human. The feeling was different that with Carly and Sam was getting used to telling the difference between a lycanthrope and a vampire. Of course with Carly her power overwhelmed Sam since the vampire was so strong whereas Mei's was gentle. From the man she felt nothing. No hint of anything and knew he was human and nothing else.

Mei looked at Sam and gave her a stern glance. Sam knew the other girl felt what she did and she shrugged an apology. The Chinese girl made her way to Sam and when she got close she leaned into the blonde's ear.

"That was rude don't you thank?"

Sam shrugged again embarrassed, "Sorry…I just wanted to know if he was like you…a wereanimal."

Mei smiled and took Sam's hand, "All you had to do was ask me."

Sam smiled, "Ok…I am asking. How do you know him and what was that exchange about?"

Mei laughed, "No…I have other secrets I keep from people, Sam. I keep my shapeshifting secret from the real world and I keep my other secret from a lot of other people." Mei turned her body and pressed it against Sam, "Now if you ever made up your mind and gave in to your desires for me…then I would share my other secret with you."

Sam pushed her away in anger, "Why does it always come back to this? Why can't you just be a friend and not a girlfriend?"

Mei giggled and again pressed herself to Sam, "Oh Sam, I don't want a girlfriend. I made that clear to you…I told you I don't care if you have Carly and then me on the side. I am not looking for someone to take me to dinner and the movies…that is not me."

Sam gave her a confused look, "Then who are you, Mei?"

Mei smiled and took Sam's hand and led her through the door out of the foyer and into the store itself. She spread her left hand out in a sweeping motion and grinned, "Welcome to my other world, Sam."

Sam looked around the store and blushed. It was full of different sections of adult toys, fetish wear, instruments of giving pain and torture, and adult movies. She looked around and then back at Mei. "You mean…you…you have been here before and you…you do this kind of stuff?"

Mei grinned and walked ahead of Sam a few steps and turned back to the blonde, "I am a submissive in both of my worlds, Sam. Shall we go and find me an outfit to wear tonight?" With that Mei gave Sam a seductive wink and walked to the clothing section of the store. Sam was stunned for a moment and then followed the girl.

Sam looked around with her eyes as Mei browsed through the outfits. Sam was shocked at the things she saw. She knew things like this existed but she never saw them except on movies and television. She was embarrassed as other shoppers would look at her and some would smile and eye her and Mei and others just glanced at her and ignored her. She had to admit that a lot of thing there looked very exciting and being there with Mei was turning her on. Other things just looked confusing and she had no idea what they were used for.

"Sam…Sam...hey, Sam!" Sam was snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Mei. "I found one…come one lets go try it on." Mei grabbed a leather outfit off a rack and Sam followed her to the dressing rooms. She waited outside while Mei tried on the outfit. After a few moments the other girl stuck her head out of the door.

"Sam…I need help with the buckles. They are all in the back and I can't reach them." Mei said with a smile.

Sam grinned, "How do I know you just don't want me in there to seduce me."

Mei laughed, "You don't…but seriously I need help. It's going to fit but I need you to buckle it for me."

Sam nodded and walked in the room. Mei had her back turned and was holding up he long silky black hair so Sam could reach the series of buckles down the back of the leather outfit. Sam looked at Mei from behind a moment and her eyes rested on the girl's small shapely butt. The bottom of the outfit was cut almost like a thong and it expose more of Mei than Sam thought it would. Sam felt her desire for the girl surge through her and with trembling hands she started to buckle the back of the outfit. She could smell the light scent of the other girl's perfume and hair as her hands worked. While she buckled the straps, Sam remembered the previous night when she was on the kitchen floor accepting Mei's submissive beast and her desire to dominant the girl came back to her. She remembered kissing and biting Mei's neck in dominance. Sam knew it was Mei's submissive beast looking for a dominant that induced the feeling in her the previous night, but right now it was different. Right now it was Sam who wanted to mark the girl's neck again and to dominant her. Mei tried to turn around but Sam pushed her against the wall and pulled the girl's hair back. Mei let out a cry of pain but Sam did not stop; she pressed her body into Mei from behind and her hand grabbed the smaller girl's waist and pulled her tighter to her. Sam bent down and started kissing Mei's neck while her right hand pulled the girl's hair to the side hard and her left arm was around her waist pulling her close. Mei moaned in pain and pleasure as Sam kissed her neck and then she let out a loud moan as Sam sank her teeth into her neck. Mei was gasping for breath as the pleasure from the pain ran through her body and made her intimate parts tingle. Sam bit down harder and Mei let her and almost fell to the ground but Sam held her up.

"Sam…please…oh fuck…ok enough…please stop." Mei begged and gave Sam a slight push. Sam fell back and was panting as she looked at the other girl. She was aroused and ashamed at the same time.

"Mei…I…I'm sorry. I don't know what happened…I did not mean to. I did not mean to hurt you" Sam said in a pleading voice as she noticed Mei's neck red with her teeth marks.

Mei smiled, "Its ok. It was not you. It was me. It hurt…I won't lie but that is not why I told you to stop. I…I like the pain. It does things for me."

Sam nodded, "Still…I don't know why I did that."

Mei dropped to the floor and crawled to Sam and started rubbing her face and body against Sam's leg like a cat and Sam heard purring coming from the girl's throat. Mei looked up and smiled, "You could not help it Sam. What we did last night…what I did to you…I bound us. You are my dominant female. Your bond with me made you want to prove your dominance to me by marking me. It's ok…really. I…I wanted it to go further but right now I can't."

Sam gave her s confused look, "What do you mean by bound? I knew I accepted you to be your protector but I thought that meant I would just do that…not anything else." Sam said a little harshly.

Mei seemed to whimper and she backed away a little with her back bent slightly. It reminded Sam of an animal who was afraid of her. Mei kept her eyes on the floor, "When we did…when you marked me last night and we both had orgasms it was metaphysical and it created a bond to one another. I did not think it truly would work since you are not a lycanthrope but you do have powers that only a small amount of humans have and they are growing stronger. Miriam warned me it would work with you…but I did not believe her. I did not know it would until this moment when you marked me again."

Sam had a sudden urge to kick the girl…to hurt her and punish her. She did not know where that was coming from and she fought to control it. Mei whimpered again and felt Sam's power wash over her body. It hurt her like a jolt of electricity running all over her. She backed into the corner of the dressing room in fear.

"What the fuck did you do to me? What the fuck is wrong with me? I…I want to hurt you, Mei…I want to punish you! Did…did you turn me into you? Did you make me like you?" Sam yelled.

Mei lay on her stomach and held her right hand out in a gesture of begging for Sam to forgive her. "No…I swear Sam…I did not infect you. I…I can't infect you like that. You…you have to be bitten and I have to be in my animal form…and…and the cat type lycanthrope is harder to catch. It has to be real bad to infect you. It is not like the wolf where a small scratch would infect you. I swear…please…please don't be mad."

Sam stared at the girl on the floor and got control of her sudden rage and walked over to her and took her hand and brought it to her cheek. Mei smiled and purred as Sam nudged her hand with her face in forgiveness. Sam felt the pleasing sensation from the girl and smiled. After a few moments she sat down on the small bench in the dressing room and Mei crawled to her and lay on top of her feet.

"So…these feelings…how I feel about you…I mean…the attraction and well…you know. It is not real? I mean…it was because you did this mental binding thing or whatever."

Mei smiled and looked up, "No…you have to ask yourself if it was there before I did that."

Sam sighed, "Yeah…it was…I mean…yeah I know what you mean. But…but you made it stronger? I don't think that is fair, Mei. I told you to give me time to think about my feelings and you do this. Carly may be a lot of things and done things that are…well…evil. But she never mind fucked me unless I let her during…well…during a certain time. But you did…that is not fair."

Mei smiled sadly, "Yes…but I can't compete with her when it comes to looks and you already fucked her…more than once…so I had to have something." Mei teased.

Sam looked down at her, "Mei I am serious."

Mei nodded, "I know…I am sorry. What we did Sam…the bonding between us was not a sexual thing. I swear and you can ask Miriam and she will tell you the same. Being dominant over me does not me sex. My mentor was my dominant before he got killed and trust me…I loved Drake but the thought of sex with him…ewww…that would have been like incest. He was like a father to me and we were bond as him being my protector. The sex was before it happened. It was because of your feelings for me. I am not saying it is love…I don't know if I want that kind of love that Carly craves. I want to be cared for but I don't want to tie myself down to one person. If you are looking for that…that one and only love then tell me now. It would make things easier between us and we can be just friends. If you are looking for that love then don't look to Carly, Sam. I am not saying that out of jealousy…I swear I am not jealous of her and you. I am jealous she is getting something I am not but I told you…I don't mind sharing as long as I am given equal time and activities. But if you want love stay away from her, Sam. She cannot give you that kind of love."

"If you are not jealous then why are you trying to drive me and Carly apart by saying things like that?"

Mei sighed, "I am not trying to take you away from her, Sam. I want you…God I want you so bad it hurts…but not my heart…it hurts other places…more intimate places. I ache for you, Sam. It is strong lust…I know that…but it is more to. I want you to care for me as well. Not just one night and then we go our separate ways. I want you to love me but not the love of living together for ever and ever type."

Sam smiled, "So like friends with benefits?"

Mei laughed, "Close…deeper than regular friends with benefits but close." Mei got up and kissed Sam's cheek and smiled, "Now lets go get my boots and I think fish net thigh highs."

Sam stood and gently grabbed the girl, "You never did answer my question…about why I should not love Carly the way she wants."

Mei turned around and looked at Sam sadly, "Immortality is a tempting offer, Sam…think about that. I…I don't want to see you become what she is. I don't want to see you become what I am."

Mei walked out of the dressing room still wearing the skimpy black leather outfit. Sam thought about what she said and shivered. She never thought of it that way. Would Carly love her for ever and if so…what was forever for someone that will never age. Could Carly watch Sam grow old as she stayed so young and beautiful. Sam knew she had a lot of thinking to do and right now she could not worry about her love life or sex life. She had a vampire out for her blood…literally. She caught up with Mei as the girl was looking for some boots to buy.

"You…you are ok being dressed like that…I mean in the open and stuff?" Sam asked as she saw other shoppers eyeing the pretty Asian girl with lust. Mei shrugged.

"Yeah…sexy don't you think? Doesn't it turn you one…having other people desire what is yours."

Sam sighed, "You are not mine. I don't own you."

Mei laughed and tilted her head and moved her hair away from her neck showing Sam the mark, "Yeah…I think you do in a way."

Sam chuckled, "Just get the boots and go change."

Mei giggled, "Ok…you go pick out the collar and leash while I change. Something nice."

Sam sighed, "Why did she want us to get that?"

Mei smiled, "I think to show the other little vampires I am your pet for tonight."

Sam frowned, "And that does not bother you?"

Mei shrugged, "For tonight…yeah it does. For other times…I like to be the pet, Sam."

"What does that mean?"

Mei giggled, "Look around, m'am, you may figure it out."

Mei walked off and Sam shook her head and went to the section that had the leashes and collars. She had not idea what Mei was talking about and all she wanted to do was get the hell out of the store.

Mei was changing her clothes and sat down and bent over as she felt her beast stir inside her. She focused and calmed it down and sighed. She wanted Sam to take her earlier and knew the girl would have if she had not pushed her away. She wanted Sam to hurt her…to make her feel the wonderful pain that aroused her so much and make her please her sexually, and the only reason she stopped was because her arousal excited her beast and she wanted out. Once back in control Mei stood and got dressed.

She found Sam waiting for her with a plain black leash in her hand and a simple black collar studded with fake diamonds. She liked it.

"Glad Carly is paying for this…I could not think about spending my own money on these things." Sam said as she paid for the items. Mei giggled.

"Well…some things are worth it."

Sam just grinned and shook her head as she got her change and the girls left the store. The next stop was a clothing store Sam found was normal and she choose her dress and matching shoes and refused to let Mei see the dress after she tried it on. She hated wearing dresses and heals and knew the girl would see it tonight anyway. The next stop was the grocery store and the girls spent a lot of time in the store shopping and laughing and flirting with one another. As Sam was driving home she was thinking of Mei in her outfit and the things she told her about her second secret life and her own attraction for the girl. Sam was going crazy and after they drove a few miles she pulled onto a side street and parked the car in front of a small but well hidden city park she knew of not far from her house. She used to come her when she was younger and just think about her father she never really knew and why he left and then when her sister died she used to come here and cry so her mother and friends would not see her. Mei looked at her and cocked an eyebrow.

"Nice park…umm…any reason we are here."

Sam smiled, "Yeah…I used to come here a lot to think." She undid her seatbelt and turned to Mei, "Did you know I had a twin sister?"

Mei looked shocked but shook her head, "No…umm…what do you mean did?"

"She died…not to long ago."

Mei reached over and took her hand, "I am sorry, Sam. I know that is not enough to say…but it is all I have."

Sam nodded, "It's okay…I don't know even know why I told you to be honest about it."

Mei smiled, "Because we are friends."

Sam nodded, "Yeah…but that was not it…I had every intention of pulling over and parking here and kissing you for a long time. But when we got here all I could think about was her."

Mei smiled, "It's okay, sweetie…I…I would love for you to kiss me but I understand you cannot do it here."

Sam nodded and started the car and grinned at Mei, "Yeah…not here but I know another place."

Mei laughed, "Then please…drive fast before I die of need."

Sam laughed and drove a few blocks and parked behind a large strip mall. "Not romantic but it will do."

Mei giggled, "Oh yes…it will do…now if I may be so bold…please kiss me."

Sam leaned over and met Mei half way and they kissed. Soon Mei opened her mouth and Sam's tongue entered her and she let out a small moan as Sam pushed her body back to her seat and rolled on top of her. Mei moaned louder as Sam pulled her hair and started kissing her neck as she drove her pelvis against Mei's. Mei felt Sam's hand go up her shirt and pull her bra down and the blonde's finger started caressing her nipple in a circular motions. Mei started digging her hands into Sam's back as she gasped and moaned in pleasure. Sam kept gently kissing her neck and even biting it slightly and Mei was lost to the passion.

"Sam…oh please…stop now…please you have to." Mei begged softly but Sam did not stop. She kept kissing and fondling Mei and soon Mei felt Sam's hand leave her nipple and her fingers traced down her stomach. Mei gasped as Sam unbuttoned her jeans and she felt the hand in the waist band of her panties. Mei took a deep breath and instead of smelling the sweet jasmine of Sam's hair all she could smell was the blood pulsing through the other girl's body and it smelled wonderful…so much power in that blood and flesh and Mei wanted to taste it…to feed on it.

"Oh…please Sam…I…I want this but you have to stop…please." Mei begged and when Sam's finger touched her clit she threw Sam off of her. Sam was tossed against the driver side door and hit her head on the window.

"Fuck, Mei…that hurt." Sam yelled.

Mei turned her head to look out the window on the passenger side. "I…I told you to stop, Sam."

Sam nodded, "Yeah…sorry…I…I really would not have gone that far. I'm sorry."

"You should have stopped when I told you, Sam…but…just tale me home…please…I have to go home." The Asian girl sounded as if she was crying

Sam gave Mei a confused look and started the car. "Ok…fuck…for days you have been trying to get me to fuck you and now when I want to you stop. I…I would not have gone further, Mei…I never would do that…but you are confusing the shit out of me right now."

Mei suddenly bent over on pain and screamed as she held her stomach. "Sam…oh God…please…get me home. I…I can't do this here…I can't." Mei sat back up after the pain went away and would not look at Sam.

Sam got scared, "Mei…are you ok…was it something you ate for lunch?"

Mei shook her head, "No…just get me home. I…I need Miriam. And…and I did want you, Sam…I am sorry it stopped but…" Mei screamed again this time louder and doubled over. "Saaaam…please…help me!"

Sam stopped the car and pulled to the side of the street, "What…what can I do…you are scaring me, Mei. Look at me…tell me what is going on."

Mei screamed again as her beast clawed the large evergreens blocking it's path to be released. The sexual arousal the girl was experiencing made the leopard inside her want to be free. It was restless since the vampire called to it and with the full moon close she was ready to come out. She was hungry and wanted to feed. She wanted to hunt and kill and feed on the fresh meat of a new kill. She paced the grassy ground and then suddenly charged the trees blocking her path and jumped in the air as her claws racked against the bark of the evergreens in her path. Mei screamed again as she felt her beast inside her ripping her apart. She knew she could release it and stop the pain but she did not want to do so in front of Sam. She did not want Sam to see her change. And then what? She knew her leopard was hungry and once released it needed to feed. She never fed on a human and Mei never would but stuck in a car with no way out what choice would her beast have. Mei focused and ignored Sam's words as she tried to calm the animal inside her. The black cat paced and growled at her but soon she stretched down on the ground but she did not sleep. She kept her eyes open looking for a weak spot in the barrier to escape from. Mei sat up.

"Sam…just take me home…please." Mei begged and Sam nodded.

"Ok…ok…I…I don't know what the hell is going on. I…I hope it is nothing I did." Sam said.

Mei laughed harshly. She was getting angry. Angry at her lust for Sam and angry at being denied her lusts and angry that when Sam was finally ready to give in to her desires her beast was awake and wanted out and she was angry that the blonde girl was being so selfish tight now. She knew Sam did not understand but Mei could not help it. She needed to focus her anger on someone to calm her animal. She turned to Sam.

"Just fucking take me home because right now I don't want to fuck you…I want to eat you!"

Sam looked at Mei and saw the girl's eyes were no longer the eyes of a human but the amber eyes of a cat and her teeth were no longer the straight perfect teeth of the girl but were now sharper and longer like those of a leopard. Sam turned drove home as fast as she could.

Mei relaxed as her beast did he same but she knew it was going to come out soon. She needed Miriam to help her. The witch could use her magic to calm the animal just as Carly used her powers to awaken it. It was not as easy for the witch as it was for the vampire but she could do it. If she had a true dominate male or female wereleopard he or she could control her beast and even take it from her if needed. But they were all dead so she had to use the witch's magic. Mei knew she would change at the full moon. Nothing could stop that…but she did not want to change now. If she did then she would have to be in her animal form for at least eight hours and then she would sleep for another ten or saw when she changed back to her human form and she could not risk that. They all had to show up to play with the vampires or the truce was broken. If it was not for that she would ask Sam to take her to some woods and she would change.

Mei looked at Sam, who was scared and mad, "Sam…I…I'm sorry. I…I don't eat people. I am sorry I said that."

Sam shook her head, "It's ok...lets just get you home." Mei sighed. She could tell Sam was scared and maybe disgusted with her.


	31. Chapter 31

As Sam drove the rest of the few blocks to her house she called her home on her cell and Henry picked up. Briefly she thought what if it had been her mom who called and a strange man answered her phone? How would she explain that one? She shook off her thought and realized that her mom had not called her once from her "free trip" and Sam did not expect her to. She knew her mother could have cared less if anything had happened to her daughter as long as she did not burn the house down. Sam asked if Miriam was there and Henry got the older lady on the phone and Sam explained what was happening and the witch told Sam she could help Mei control herself and to hurry and bring her home. Sam told the lady she was. As she tossed her cell on the floorboard of the car she looked at Mei and saw the girl was staring out the window and crying. Sam wanted to reach over and comfort her but she fought the urge. She did not feel like being eaten today. As she drove with one hand on the steering wheel her left hand was resting in the gap between the car seat and the door as her fingers seemed to be tickling the grip portion of her Browning 9mm pistol Henry had got her. It was loaded with silver bullets of course. Henry made her carry the gun everywhere she went and showed Sam the hidden but easily accessed hiding for a gun in his car. As she pulled into the driveway of her house she was thinking if Mei did change and try to attack her could she shoot the wereleopard if she had to. The answer scared her…it was yes.

Sam jumped out of the car and Miriam ran from the house and opened the passenger side door and helped Mei inside. Sam stayed back out of the Asian girl's reach and Mei gave her a sad look that Sam could not read. Sam was not disgusted that Mei almost changed on her and the other girl being a lycanthrope did not bother her, hell she had sex with a vampire and even let that said vampire lick blood off of her cut hands, but she was scared. She was scared if Mei would have changed would her leopard form attack her and she was scared how calmly she felt about shooting the girl if that had happened. That thought scared her the most. After Mei and Miriam went into the house, Sam followed still carrying her gun in her right hand. Once in the house Sam went to the kitchen and saw Henry reading the news paper and the man looked up and her and gave her a nod of his head and went back to reading the paper. He never once asked Sam what had happened. Sam placed the gun on the table, got a glass out of the cabinet and then some orange juice out of the refrigerator and poured some in the glass. She walked to the sink and stared out the window above the sink.

As she brought the glass to her mouth to drink she noticed her hands were shaking and she tried to take a sip of the juice but her hands were shaking so much it dribbled down her chin and on her shirt.

"Fuck!" Sam yelled and threw the glass in the sink and it shattered. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Sam repeated over and over as she stood with her back to the kitchen and her hands shaking badly.

"Sam…Sam…you ok?" She heard Henry ask and turned and saw the man standing up and looking at her.

"Am I ok? God Damn it! No I am not ok! I have a vampire in my basement sleeping the day away after she got the shit kicked out of her by a group of werewolves, I have a girl in my bed with Glenda the Good Witch doing God knows what after the girl almost turned into a big ole cat and wanted to eat me for a snack, and tonight I am going to a dinner party hosted by vampires and werewolves who want to do God knows what to me! What the fuck is next? Is Little Red Riding Hood going to come knocking at my door to sell me fucking cookies? No I am not ok…I am fucking scared! I am fucking terrified and want my life back!"

Henry chuckled and Sam gave him a stern look and then started crying and ran into him and wrapped her arms around the man. Henry paused for a few seconds and the hugged the girl back. "Shhh…its going to be ok, Sam." He whispered in her ear as she gripped him tight and cried. He let her cry for a while and let her go after she pulled back from him and sat down at the table; her eyes focused on the gun. Henry sat down and Sam looked at him.

"How…how do you do it? You are not even scared about tonight. I…I don't understand how you can know about all this and not be scared." Sam asked as she wiped her face.

Henry shrugged and then smiled at the girl, "Hell, Sam, I don't fuck them or take them shopping…I just kill them."

Sam laughed and it felt good. "Sorry for freaking out…and thanks for letting me you know…"

Henry nodded, "I think you needed it."

Sam nodded, "Yeah I did. Henry, seriously…how do you do it and not go crazy. I…I see how Carly looks at you at times and I see something in her eyes she…it is a mixture of hate and fear. She fears you a little."

Henry nodded, "She knows one day her and I are going to play and only one of us will walk away alive. As far as how or why I do it…I just do Sam. I like a challenge and killing people got too easy for me."

Sam frowned, "You are not giving me straight answers…you never give me straight answers."

Henry smiled, "No I don't. Maybe you should stop asking."

Sam shrugged, "That is not my nature. I like to understand things and people. I understand Carly to an extent and Mei more and more and the same with Miriam…but you I don't understand at all."

Henry grinned, "What is to understand?"

"Do…do you like the killing?"

Henry nodded, "Yes and the challenge. Don't forget about the challenge."

Sam swallowed hard and knew she was not going to get and answer about the man's life as usual and changed the subject. "Do…do you like me?"

Henry grinned, "Define like?

Sam smiled, "Do you consider me a friend?"

"I am fond of you, Sam…but do not mistake that for anything. I have killed people I have been fond of before."

Sam nodded but was not scared, "Yeah but I am sure you had a reason…you do not do anything without a reason…I learned that about you. I am not going to give you a reason to kill me." Sam added a wink and Henry laughed and Sam knew it was his good laugh. His true laugh.

"That is why I am fond of you…you make me laugh and not many people can. Now let me ask you a question." Sam nodded for him to go ahead, "When you thought Mei was going to change and attack you…what was your first reaction?"

Sam blushed, "Besides almost pissing my pants?" Henry smiled and nodded and Sam continued, "I…I wanted my gun and I held it as I drove home."

"Why?"

Sam looked at the gun, "I…I was going to shoot her if she attacked me…oh God…I like her Henry…I really do but God help me I would have killed her if she would have attacked me."

Henry smiled and stood up, "You did the right thing…do not doubt that. Now go take a nap or something and I will unload the car for you."

Sam smiled and nodded, "Ok…and don't wrinkle my dress…I have to look pretty tonight." She teased and Henry laughed again and as he walked past her Sam touched his arm gently.

"Thank you…for everything."

Henry nodded, "You'll be ok, Sam…you will do just fine and you will survive. I see that in you and today you proved it. You can pull the trigger, Sam, that is what counts…remember that."

Sam nodded as Henry walked from the kitchen. She went to her mother's bedroom and took off her clothes and lay down on the bed to take a nap. She tossed and turned for a while and finally drifted to sleep.

Sam woke up and noticed she had sleep for a couple of hours and she sat up in the bed and stretched. She looked out the window and the sun was still up. She got out of bed, put on a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt and walked out of the bedroom. She smelled something good coming from the kitchen and her stomach growled. Sam walked to the kitchen and saw Miriam cooking dinner again. Sam grinned…she felt better…calm and relaxed.

"You like to cook, huh?" She asked and Miriam turned to her and smiled.

"Yes I do…plus it gives me something to do. I am started to feel kind of useless around here."

Sam shook her head, "No…you are not useless. You taught me a lot already with who I am and what I am and you know…the magic shit."

Miriam smiled, "Well…I would not call it magic. I do magic with my spells and wards but with you it is really not magic. It is just a natural power you have."

Sam shrugged, "Whatever…so anything you need to teach me before tonight?"

Miriam shook her head, "No…I have taught you all I can. But you do need someone to teach and show you how to control the other part of you, Sam. The necromancer part. That I cannot show you. It is not my power and soon…maybe months maybe a year I don't know…but soon that power is going to want to be released and you won't be able to control it."

Sam nodded, "Yeah but who…I mean Carly said there are very few necromancers so I guess I am shit out of luck."

Miriam laughed, "Yes and no. True there are very few necromancer's left in the world today but there are people who know how to use the spells and rituals and have the power to animate a corpse."

Sam nodded, "Yeah…you said something like that…voodoo and you also told me to stay away from them."

Miriam nodded, "Yes but there are others. They are not necromancers and don't have the power you do or will but they have the power to make…well…lesser zombies to simplify the matter. They are animators and I do know of one in the area who can help you. He is an older gentleman and very nice. He may take convincing since he had not practiced in years but I think he will do it for me."

Sam nodded, "Ok…after all this vampire shit is over maybe…God…I cannot believe how accepting I am getting to all this shit."

Miriam laughed, "And is that a bad thing?"

Sam shrugged, "I really don't know." She looked up at the older lady, "So…ummm…how is Mei? Is she alright?"

Miriam nodded, "Yes…we put her beast to sleep again and she is fine…physically. But she is scared you are mad at her and well…disgusted with her."

Sam nodded, "Is she awake?" Miriam nodded her head and Sam got up and walked to her bedroom Mei now used. She almost knocked but figured it was her room she did not have to and walked in. She saw Mei lying on the bed facing the other way while on her side. Sam walked in and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Hey…you awake?"

"Please…go away, Sam. I…I don't want to talk." Mei said with a sniffle.

"Well to bad…you are going to." Sam answered with a grin and Mei turned her head and gave Sam a weak smile.

"Ok…I…I am sorry I threatened you, Sam. I…I really never would have ate you."

Sam nodded, "Maybe…but I really did not know at the time. But I am pissed because you did not tell me what was going on with you. You should have told me, Mei, about you almost shifting and what could cause it earlier and I would never have tried to do what I did."

Mei nodded, "I know…but first…I wanted you to do what you did…I wanted you so bad that I lost all thought of what may happen. That was my mistake. I should have known better. Second…I was ashamed for you to see me that way, Sam. I…I did not want you to think I was a monster."

Sam smiled, "I know what you are, Mei, and I could never think you are a monster." Sam paused and reached out and touched Mei's leg, "You know I almost shot you today…I mean I had my hand on the gun and If you would have attacked me I would have shot you."

Mei smiled, "Well…I guess it is fair since I did threaten to eat you." Sam laughed and Mei giggled, "I am glad you didn't."

Sam nodded, "Yeah me too. Do you need more rest?" Mei shook her head and Sam continued, "Ok…can we talk?"

Mei raised her eyebrow, "Just talk?"

Sam smiled, "Yeah…just talk." Mei nodded and frowned and Sam chuckled, "So…does it hurt like that all the time…when you change?"

Mei shook her head and sat up on the bed and Sam moved closer to her, "No…it does when I fight it but normally it is quite pleasing. Like releasing a lot of tension and frustration that has built up in side of you…but it looks like it would hurt. I mean…if you saw it you would think it would hurt me."

Sam nodded and the two girls sat and talked for a while until Miriam called them for dinner. Henry left earlier and was not back yet but Sam was not worried. She knew of all people in the house he was the one to worry about least. As they ate the sun went down and Sam heard the basement door being opened and for some reason she jumped up and met Carly in the living room and gave her a hug and a deep passionate kiss. After a few moments Carly pushed her back and smiled.

"And what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked.

Sam grinned, "Because I had a rough day and just wanted to kiss from someone I think I love. Deal with it." She teased and Carly laughed and once again that laugh made Sam want to push Carly back into the basement and make love to her.

Carly looked at Sam with a raised eyebrow, "Think you love?"

Sam pushed her away, "God…please be nice to me tonight…I had a rough day and play nice with Mei."

Carly nodded, "The first I can do…the second I will try." Sam shrugged and knew that was the best she was going to get. The two walked back onto the kitchen and Carly saw they were eating.

"Well maybe I should also go feed before the fun tonight." She looked at Mei and smiled, "Unless I could dine in with the rest of our happy group?" Mei looked down at her plate without a word.

"No!" Sam yelled and Carly gave her a harsh look and walked from the kitchen. Sam got a shiver as her eyes followed Carly as the vampire did not actually walk but seemed to glide as she moved and Sam noticed her feet were just barely off the floor. Sam sighed and followed Carly to the door to remove the wards that prevented other vampires from coming in and also Carly from going out. When Sam was done Carly moved past her without a word and Sam grabbed her arm and made her turn to face her.

"I…I did not mean it like it sounded. I…I did not want you to take blood from her against her will but I also would not have liked it if she would have let you. She told me today how you made it feel for her and I got jealous. That was why."

Carly smiled, "Jealousy I understand." She bent down and kissed Sam gently on the lips and pulled back. "I do love you, Samantha. I know you are confused…I can sense it…but I do love you."

Sam swallowed hard, "I…same here but you scare me, Carly. You scare me something terrible. I am more scared of you than of Cassandra and I don't like being scared of someone I love."

Carly moved Sam to the couch in the living room and sat her down and then sat down next to her. "We have not talked much since we got back from Los Vegas. We have not had much time alone. Don't say I scare you more than Cassandra…you have not met her yet. After tonight then you tell me if that is true." Sam nodded and let Carly continue, "Tell me why I frighten you, Sam."

Sam gave the vampire a half smile, "Besides the obvious…Well…fuck it was easier talking to Mei about this."

"Why? Why was it easier with her?"

Sam shrugged, "Because she would not get mad and jealous and try to kill me. She does not want love from me…she wants lust and…well I am beginning to think she wants other things I don't understand after our little shopping trip. But she is not jealous and I am not afraid she would kill me if I rejected her."

Carly laughed, "And I would? No Sam…I would not hurt you if I could help it. I promise you that. Even if you rejected me I would not kill you. Now the person you choose over me…well…that is different." Carly said it with a smile and Sam knew she was teasing or at least hoped so.

Sam looked at her feet, "Ok…I…I almost had sex with Mei today…twice…" Sam saw the anger in Carly's eyes, "Carly…please…I am trying to be honest…please don't get all spooky on me." Carly seemed to relax and nodded her head so Sam continued, "I didn't…we stopped the first time because I wanted to stop and the second time because she…well…she almost changed on me. Anyway…I…I am confused, Carly…that is why I can't…I can't give myself to you like I want to. I…I want to love you and be with you but I can't right now. I like Mei…a lot but I can tell you I don't love her like I love you. I…I lust after her…well more than just lust. I care for her a lot but it is not like with you. And then I am scared if I gave myself to you with all my heart like I want to sometimes I…I get scared." Sam reached over and touched Carly's face and turned her head so she could look into her eyes. Sam shivered at the coldness of Carly's skin but did not let go. "Carly…can you honestly tell me that if I gave myself to you completely you would be satisfied? If I did that I would want long term and could you do that?" Carly was about to answer but Sam placed her finger on the vampire's lips, "No…let me finish…could you watch me grow old and see me age as you stay young forever? Could I watch myself age and see you stay young and not resent you for that? I…I would be tempted, baby, I would be tempted to have you make me what you are and…and that scares me down to my soul."

Carly shook her head, "No…I would never do that to you, Sam. Even if you begged me to do it. I have done a lot of things that are evil but I have never turned someone into what I am. I never could, Sam. I have seen it…I have seen Cassandra do it and watched some poor human's soul slip away and seen them cursed for all eternity. I could never be the cause of that, Sam. Not to you, who I love, and not even to someone I hate. I would kill someone I hate with no thought what so ever…but never that. I…I used to try and help those that Cassandra turned at first. To teach them and show them and to get them to adjust to their new way of existence so they could survive." Carly took Sam's hand in hers and leaned back on the couch. "The worse was Riona and Emmanuelle that she made. Both girls were so beautiful and lovely and both were sweet and charming in their mortal lives but Cassandra wanted them. She wanted them to complete the set as she said. She had me…a brunette…but she needed a red head…Riona…and the blonde…Emmanuelle…and she turned them. We were to be her master pieces…her walking works of art for her to use for her own pleasures and her own games and for her to gain power. And we did, Sam, we were perfect for one another and we loved one another and I helped them adjust. I was the oldest of the three so I saw it was my job to help them. Cassandra said it was one of my few weaknesses but I did not see it as a weakness. I saw it as a kindness I could have and hold one to after all other kindness was lost to me. I needed to feel something again besides pain and hate and suffering and killing. Well Riona started getting jealous of me and Emmanuelle…more so me since I was Cassandra's favorite pet…but I was to strong for her to kill so she went after Emmanuelle and killed her. I was so angry and wanted to kill Riona but I couldn't. I loved her still and I knew it was because she was a vampire that caused her to turn evil just as it did with me and was doing to Emmanuelle. After I thought about it I was grateful Riona killed Emmanuelle. She was still young and had an innocent to her and Cassandra had yet to corrupt her like she had with me and Riona and others. It spared the poor girl from becoming evil and I did not want to see that again. To see someone I loved to be turned into what I was and to do the things I did then. I knew I could never do that to anyone…to make them evil like I was and Cassandra was and Riona was. I would never take away someone's soul to be cursed for all eternity. Cassandra punished me often for the refusal of not making a vampire. She saw it as weak but I still refused."

Sam nodded, "But…but you kill…you do take their soul."

Carly shook her head, "No…when I kill I do not take their soul, Sam. What happens to their soul then is between them and God. If I was to turn someone it is different. God already cursed our souls and regardless how much of a believer or good that person was their soul would be damned."

Sam nodded, "Ok…but then could you love me and watch me grow old. Could you love me as I turned sixty and still lust after me like you do now? I…I don't think you could…I think you would still love me but you would not touch me and you would move on to someone else." Carly was about to deny it and Sam stopped her, "No…don't answer that. We…we have to many problems tonight and…and I don't want you to lie to me anyway."

Sam stood up and Carly did the same and walked to the door. "Carly?" Carly stopped and turned around, "What ever happened to Riona?"

Carly gave Sam a sad smile, "Cassandra punished her. You will meet her tonight."

Sam nodded, "Why…why were you her favorite. You have said than more than once and I know you are not bragging. You are not a conceded person."

Carly nodded, "True…I was her favorite because I could take a lot of her punishments and endure a lot more things she did to her servants than all the others. And…well…I…I became what I hated most in Riona and what I feared Emmanuelle would become…I was her evil, Sam. I was Cassandra's doer of evil deeds and I was so good at it she showed her favoritism for it and gave me pleasure for it as my reward and let me get away with things she would not let any other get away with."

Sam nodded and smiled, "Be…be careful. And Carly…I…I have seen you do mean things especially to Mei…but you are not evil." Carly smiled back and nodded and left the house. Sam at back down on the couch and no longer felt hungry.

The rest of the evening went by and Sam was getting a little worried since Henry was not back yet and when she looked at the clock she saw it was a little after eleven in the evening and her fear gripped her. She doubted he would come back and she was afraid to go meet Cassandra without him. Mei and Miriam made small talk for a while and Carly said she was going to shower and change and suggested everyone else get ready as well. Sam still sat in the kitchen alone since the bathrooms were taken when Carly came in wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around her body and her long hair was wet from the shower. Sam stared at her beauty as she sat down across from her. Her pale skin was a little darker as fresh blood from earlier coarse through her veins but her skin was still the glowing alabaster color Sam loved. She smiled at Sam.

"Don't worry. He'll be here." Carly said as if she could read Sam's thoughts.

Sam smiled, "I…I don't know. Maybe he thought I was not worth it and split."

Carly laughed and again Sam felt her skin tingle and it felt like soft velvet gently caressing her skin. Sam frowned, "You know it is hard for me to focus on anything when you do that."

Carly gave her an innocent look, "What…laugh?" She teased.

Sam smiled, "Yeah…like that it does. It makes me want to ravage you and you do it on purpose."

Carly grinned, "If we had more time I would allow it. Sam…he will be here."

Sam shook her head, "How do you know? Why are you so sure?"

Carly stood and walked past Sam out of the kitchen and as she did her finger traced a seductive line across her arm and the blonde shivered in pleasure. "Because he has a chance to kill a vampire tonight and he will not pass that up. Go take a shower, baby, and get dressed. I desperately want to see that dress you have been hiding."

Sam nodded and smiled, "Ok." She got up and went to the bathroom to shower.

Sam got dressed and looked in her mirror and frowned. She thought she looked decent enough and even put on makeup. She took Carly's advice and styles her hair so she had it piled up on top of her head with a few locks spilling down the sides of her face. She wore her new green dress that was cut off the shoulders and came straight across her chest to give her just a hint of cleavage and the top portion was straight and once it hit her hips it fanned out to a series of complicated pleats and ended about three inches above her knees. She twirled around and giggled as she looked at herself again, "ok…I look fucking hot!" She said aloud and then blushed as she hoped no one herd her. She sat on the bed and put on matching green high heels that she slipped over the feet of her plain light green thigh highs and stood. She took a deep breath and walked into the living room for the others to see her.

Mei was sitting on the couch already dressed in her very skimpy black leather outfit and she was wearing her knee high black shiny boots and Sam noticed she did decide to wear black fish net thigh highs. Her long black hair fell down past her shoulders. She looked very uncomfortable and Sam thought that was strange since walking around the store dressed like that she seemed so at ease…even flirty. Sam smiled at her and Mei smiled back. "You look lovely, Sam."

Sam grinned, "And you look…well…ummm…"

"Like a two dollar whore!" Miriam said and Sam glanced at the older woman. She was dressed in a simple white dress that reminded Sam of something from the sixties. Sam now knew why Mei looked uncomfortable. Miriam did not approve of her outfit. Mei rolled her eyes.

"Miriam, we have been over this. We have to play a role tonight and my role is the pet."

Miriam shook her head, "No…that vampire…Carly…is doing this to insult you. I don't like it."

"No, my dear witch, I am not doing this to insult her. As a matter of fact I think she looks darling and so yummy. I am doing this because Mei is correct. We all have a role tonight and Cassandra would consider it rude it we don't play that role. We don't want to be rude to our host do we?" All eyes went to Carly and she was wearing a long black leather trench coat that came down to her ankles. She had the coat buttoned and tied to hide her clothes. Her hair was styled and fell down with slight curls and Sam could tell she wore makeup. Sam thought she looked beautiful. Carly sat down next to Mei and handed her a coat.

"You may wear this to cover up until we arrive. It will be to big for you so it should hide you well enough." Carly leaned in closer to Mei's ear and Mei flinched slightly, Carly whispered so no one else heard her. "You do look lovely, dear. I am sorry you have to dress like that…truly…when you see me you will fell better." Carly stood up and Mei gave her a look of shook. Had the cruel vampire actually been kind to her? Mei shook her head and was confused.

"So…what role do you play tonight, Carly, and why are you hiding yourself?" Sam teased.

Carly gave her a disgusted look, "I play the role Cassandra sees me as…her slave…and as for what I am wearing you will see in time."

Miriam was still angry, "And me what role do I play?"

Carly chuckled, "You play the part she cares less about…you play what you are. No threat to her."

Miriam smirked, "And Henry and Sam? What role do they play?

Carly walked to stand next to Sam and grinned, "Henry plays the part he always plays and plays so well. His character never changes. He plays Death. Make no mistake, witch. Of all the people here tonight she fears him the most and with reason." Carly turned to Sam and ran her hand over the blonde girl's face in a caressing soft manner. Sam looked into her eyes and did not see the normal lust or anger all she saw was sadness and that scared her. As Carly's fingers moved to Sam's lips Sam kissed them. "Samantha plays the worst part of Cassandra's tragedy. What she wants the most…Sam plays the prize." Sam looked up at Carly and saw the vampire's eyes went watery and soft and they were so full of emotion that Sam almost grabbed Carly and begged her not to go…to beg all of them not to go and to run. Carly smiled and gave a slight shake of her head as if she could read Sam's mind and turned back to the witch, "We all have our parts so let us play them well."

Sam was about to hug the vampire when Henry walked from the kitchen wearing a tuxedo with tails. Sam thought he looked very handsome. He frowned at Sam's outfit.

"Don't you like it, Henry?" Sam said as she twirled around.

Henry shook his head, "And wear are you going to hide your gun in that?"

And just those short words made everyone come crashing back down into reality. They were not going to a costume party or a prom or a night club. They were going to a dinner party hosted by a very powerful vampire.

Sam gave him an embarrassed look, "I…I did not think about that."

Henry sighed, "Well you will have to wear the shoulder holster on the outside. She did say she would allow one gun for me so I assume it would apply for you to. She will have us searched anyway so if they don't like it they will take it." As he was talking Mei got off the couch and slipped on the oversized coat and when she stood up her body and outfit became very revealing. Sam eyed her with lust and then glanced at Carly and smiled when she saw Carly doing the same. Sam then looked at Henry and was amazed he did not even look at the girl. Sam thought even he would look since Mei was very pretty and in that outfit she was sexy as hell. But Henry just ignored her as he double checked his gun and then put it back in his holster under his jacket. Sam shrugged and thought he was always so professional.

"Where have you been anyway? I was beginning to think you left and weren't coming back." Sam said with more anger than she meant to. She was pissed at herself for disappointing him. She felt like her father had scolded her for staying out to late on a school night.

He stared at her for a moment, "And miss a chance to kill something…not a chance. I had to secure our ride tonight. None of us has a car larger enough to carry all five of us."

"You didn't steal it did you?"

Henry shrugged, "You try renting a limo on such short notice. Don't worry I had the plates changed and I will dump it in the morning after I wipe all the prints off of it. No one will know."

Sam looked at him in shook, "Jesus…I was only kidding."

Henry grinned, "So was I…if I lost my connections to get a limo on such short notice I might as well hang up my guns and retire. Well ladies, shall we?"


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N – a lot of posts in a short time…I am suffering from insomnia for several days…well maybe weeks…so what else do I have to do besides wright and study. I would appreciate some reviews and hopefully if all ends well with this story I will continue it into a short series.**

**Please review!!!!**

They five rode in a white limo to meet Cassandra. When Sam jokingly asked Henry why white and not black since that would suit him better he grinned and told her they were the good guys and good guys always rode the white horse. Lilly laughed as she got into the back seat with Carly and Mei. Henry and Miriam took the second row of seats leaving the three girls in the back. Most of the ride was quite as each one was thinking of what may happen and Henry went into his killing space. Mei shifted uncomfortably and gave Sam and Carly an embarrassing grin, "Sorry…this outfit is riding up my butt."

Sam, who was sitting next to Carly and across from Mei, chuckled and Carly smiled at the girl, "Its ok, dear, mine is to so I know how you feel." Mei looked at Carly and Sam.

"Is…is she being nice to me?" Mei asked Sam.

Sam shrugged and looked at Carly, "Yeah…I have noticed that to…what gives? Not that I don't appreciate it."

Carly smiled, "We must show unity tonight. Cassandra will do her best to pick us apart and use our own disagreements against us." Carly winked at Mei, "Plus she looks so lustful in that outfit I can't help it." Mei blushed. "And to show you I know how you feel." Carly leaned up and took her coat off and revealed her choice of clothing. She was wearing something very similar to Mei but in red. It was a red leather skimpy outfit that was low cut and revealed a lot more of the vampire girl than she preferred. On her legs were red fish net thigh highs and instead of boots she wore four inch stiletto heals. Sam looked over her body and smiled and leaned in to Carly and started twisting a finger in one of the vampire's locks of hair. She leaned in close to Carly's ear.

"You know…if you ever want to wear that for just me…I won't complain"

Carly grinned and leaned into Sam's ear to whisper her reply, "That can be arranged. And what about Mei…she could keep her outfit as well and join us."

Sam leaned back in shock and glanced at Mei and then back at Carly. Mei smiled, "You can talk to her, Sam. I heard it all…I am a wereleopard you know and we hear better than vampires." Sam blushed and Carly laughed and Mei giggled. Sam leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms with a mad look on her face.

"Sam, I think she was just teasing you to lighten the mood. We could use it. Right, Carly?" Mei said and looked at Carly.

Carly shrugged, "Maybe…but I both know you lust after one another and maybe that would be a good way to get it out of your systems. If I was there I would not be jealous and it would be very pleasing for all three of us…very pleasing."

Mei raised an eyebrow and Sam glared at her. The blonde could read the look in her eyes and it read yes that sounds wonderful. Sam sighed, "We are so not having this conversation right now."

Carly laughed again and Mei smiled, "Does that mean we will have it later then?" Carly asked. Before Sam could answer the limo stopped and she opened the door and got out. She could not believe she was relieved to go face an over three thousand year old vampire to avoid a conversation about a threesome. Henry walked over to her and smiled.

"You ready?" He asked. Sam nodded and the something occurred to her.

"Henry…the driver…what did you tell him?"

Henry smiled, "He is the backup. Don't worry I trust him to watch our backs. We get into any trouble he will come. I worked with him before."

Sam nodded as the rest of the group walked up and all five stood staring at the seemingly abandoned warehouse. Carly spoke first.

"Before we go in remember the rules. We have a truce and she will not break it unless we do first. We all can get out alive if we don't do anything foolish. She is going to do everything in her power to make us break the truce so don't let her taunts get to you. If she touches you or her follows do let them…they won't hurt you because that would break the truce. And what ever you do…do not look her or any of her vampires in the eyes. Never make eye contact. Cassandra is the only one in there who can vamp you without looking at you like I can. The rest have to look in your eyes. I am assuming she will have Riona and Dante with her since they are two master vampires but I don't know who else." Carly looked at Mei and smiled kindly, "She is going to have at least her pet Ulfric there…Mathew…are you going to be ok? He is going to taunt you and try to get you to do something foolish."

Mei nodded, "Yeah…I'll be fine. I could not fight him anyway. I want him dead but I am not stupid."

Carly smiled and turned to Henry, "If it comes to a fight, please don't start it, Henry."

Henry smiled, "I won't start it."

Carly nodded and pulled Henry aside and leaned into him, "If anything happens in there and it goes wrong…give me your word you get Sam out alive."

Henry nodded and looked at the vampire, "And you?"

Carly grinned, "If it goes wrong I can stop it by issuing her an official challenge and she can't harm the rest of you. I can't beat her, Henry…you know it, I know it, and she knows it. So if it goes wrong I am dead. Just get Sam out of there and take her away somewhere."

Henry nodded again, "You have my word."

Carly and Henry joined the others and Sam walked up and held Carly's hand, "What was that about?"

Carly gripped her hand and leaned close to the blonde girl, "I love you, Samantha." And let go of Sam's hand and started walking into the warehouse. Sam got suddenly felt a wave of fear grip her because she saw Carly was afraid. The others followed. They approached the wall with the hidden entrance and saw a man standing there dressed in jeans and tee shirt with a sports jacket over the shirt. They all could see the gun under the jacket. He smiled at them as the approached. Sam knew right of he was not a vampire but a human. He stood about six eight and was huge in a very muscular way. He had a bald head and cold green eyes. He looked mean and professional.

Carly smiled at him, "Hello, Sebastian, it has been a long time."

Sebastian smiled at Carly and it was not a pleasant smile, "Hello, Julia…it has been. A shame I was not allowed to see the wolves beat you. I heard it was a pleasant sight."

Carly grinned, "I am sure your mistress gave you all the details." Carly turned to her group. "This is Sebastian. He is Riona's human servant."

Sebastian smiled again, "I am to search you for weapons. She has allowed the man one gun and that is all." He looked at Sam, "I need you gun, girl." Sam looked at Henry and the man nodded and Sam took off her shoulder holster and handed the gun to the man. "You'll get it back if you leave." He then looked at Henry. "You must be the Reaper. Up against the wall and spread your legs." Henry did as he was told and Sebastian searched him thoroughly and allowed Henry to keep his pistol per the agreement but he did remove Henry's cross and put it in his pocket. The man backed away from Henry and Henry turned around and looked at him.

"You don't look so tough. Mistress Cassandra said I should fear you but I don't see anything to fear." Henry stared at the man with cold blue eyes and Sam could swear he was studying the other man and thinking of how many ways he could kill him. Sebastian took a step back without thinking and then caught himself and cleared his throat as he adverted his eyes from Henry. Carly giggled and he turned to her. "You next, Julia."

Carly sighed, "Oh come on, Sebastian, where am I going to hide a weapon in this outfit?"

Henry laughed, "Maybe I want to touch you again…you know for old time's sake. I missed touching you, Julia. You always were so pleasing."

Carly smiled, "Yes…but it was never voluntary on my part. Remember that. I was just a reward for you when you did something pleasing for Cassandra." She said and walked to the wall but Sebastian waved her off.

"I don't need to search you. You don't need any weapons anyway. The same for the rest of you." He turned to Sam, "But I will need your cross, girl." Sam nodded and gave the man her cross.

Sebastian opened the hidden door and made a sweeping motion with his hands and Carly walked into the dark tunnel followed by Sam, Mei, Miriam, and Henry brought up the rear. Sam did not know how far they walked down the dark tunnel but eventually they came to a set of heavy double doors with very detailed carvings of horses on it. Sam thought they were beautiful and belonged in a museum…a reminder of some forgotten culture. Sebastian opened the doors and motioned them in. "Enjoy your evening." He said and Carly turned to him.

"You are not joining us?" She asked.

Sebastian shook his head, "No…I am going back up to keep your driver company." He looked Henry and smiled, "I can spot a soldier a mile away."

Henry did not say a word. He was not worried about his back up. The man could take care of his self and if he got killed by Sebastian then Henry would kill Sebastian. It was that simple. Carly walked through the open doors like she belonged and Sam hesitated. Carly turned back to her and smiled, "It's ok…just remember what I told you outside…all of it." Sam smiled and she knew what Carly meant and followed the vampire inside the room. She saw the room was alive with the lights of over a thousand candles. Sam, Mei, and Miriam were amazed at the décor of the room. The statures and paintings…all of it.

"Welcome my guests." A voice brought Sam back to reality. She shivered in fear at the voice and the power behind it. She looked up and saw a small girl on a huge throne. The first thing she thought was the girl was the same one she had seen when Carly accidentally showed her those terrible thoughts. The thought was that she had almost forgotten how young the girl was. Cassandra looked to be about thirteen or fourteen and the last thought was how beautiful Cassandra was. The girl had long flowing auburn hair and Sam thought she was a vision of some long dead goddess. The area behind her throne was black as midnight. The group of visitors lined up next to one another and Sam stood next to Carly and took her hand. Cassandra noticed the gesture and smiled.

"Introductions are in order." Cassandra stood from the chair and floated to the group. Sam swallowed hard, _Damn…she…she floated like a fucking ghost!_ Sam thought and gripped Carly tighter. Sam could sense the vampire's powers through her mental shields like a tickle in her mind. As the girl vampire slowly floated to the group curiosity got the better of Sam and she lowered her mental shields to get a sense of the vampire's powers. As soon as she focused her energy on Cassandra she fell to her knees screaming. Sam had felt Carly's full power one time by mistake and it overwhelmed her and made her skin tingle and then it felt like tiny insects biting all over her body, but this was different. It was stronger…so much stronger. She fell to her knees and her skin burned like red hand nails driving into every pour of her body. Carly dropped to her knees and glared at Cassandra. Henry had his gun out.

"You dare break the truce already!" She screamed at Cassandra.

Cassandra stopped and floated to her feet. "I do nothing. The foolish girl wanted to test my power. If anything she broke the truce…but I will forgive her innocence just this once."

Sam continued to scream and ran her hands over her body as if she was trying to put out a fire. "She cannot control her mind, Cassandra. You need to shield your power from her." Carly yelled. As Sam continued to scream and beg Carly to help her. Mei dropped to her knees next to Sam as well and tried to hold her still.

Cassandra shrugged, "I will. But first two things…since I did not break the truce I get the favors." Cassandra said nonchalantly as Sam continued to scream and beg as she rolled on the floor.

"What…damn you…what?" Carly screamed.

Cassandra smiled, "First the Reaper puts his toy away. Seeing him with a gun in his hand is most unsettling." Henry holstered his gun. He knew he was not going to use it at that moment anyway. "Next I want you to come to me, Julia, and bow down before me like you used to. I want you to acknowledge me as your Mistress."

Carly stood up and started walking to Cassandra. Cassandra shook her head. "No…on your knees, Julia. You do not deserve to walk to me. Crawl to me."

Carly looked back at Sam who was screaming in agony on the floor and dropped to her hands and knees and crawled to Cassandra. When she got in front of the child vampire Cassandra held out her hand and Carly kissed the girl's hand. Carly heard Sam stop screaming and start whimpering and she knew Cassandra kept her word and shielded her power from the blonde girl. Cassandra smiled down at Carly and ran her small delicate hands through the dark hair of the other vampire.

"How I have missed you, Julia. I do wish you would join me again. We had so much fun together and my bed as not been the same since you left."

Carly looked up, "And what about your torture chamber…has it not been the same either."

Cassandra laughed and her power washed over the room and all felt it, "That to…but I know you feel it, Julia. You feel my call and are resisting. I can sense your desire to come back to me. Stop fighting it and I will welcome you with open arms."

Carly shook her head, "Never, Cassandra. You can force me to bow down to you but I will never come willingly."

Cassandra smiled, "We shall see…we shall see." She dismissed Carly with a wave of her hand and looked at the rest of the group. "To show my kindness I will help your dear Samantha." Carly stood up and walked back to the group.

The burning agony stopped when Carly bowed down to Cassandra, but Sam still felt the after effects as she lay on the floor whimpering and Mei holding her tight. She heard Cassandra mention her name and as soon as she did she felt a pleasant feeling wash over her body and all the aftermath of the pain was gone and a soothing rush came over her. She relaxed and gently pushed Mei off of her and stood up.

"I…I'm ok…really…I feel better." Sam muttered to Mei and Carly took her place next to her. Carly leaned down to Sam's ear.

"Why did you do that?" She whispered.

Sam shrugged, "Fuck if I know…I swear I did not mean to…I…I think she made me. Honest."

Carly nodded and looked at Cassandra. "Did you roll her mind, Cassandra? If you did you broke the truce and we are leaving."

Cassandra smiled, "You need proof…she does not know. I think she was being curious."

Sam shrugged, "I…I don't know…maybe."

Cassandra walked this time to the group. "See…she does not know." She stood in front of Miriam who stood on the far left.

"You must be the witch? You are nothing to me and you pathetic spells you used to ward against me are worthless but welcome as my guest." She moved to Mei next. "Oh…our little pet cat. So nice of you to come. I have someone here that wants to meet you." Cassandra smiled, "Mathew…come meet one of the three who got away from you. She is a lovely little thing. Maybe you should keep her as a play toy for your pack and not kill her." Cassandra reached out to caress Mei's face and Mei pulled away in fear as a man walked from the darkness behind the throne. He was a tall well built mean looking man dressed in black leather vest and tight black leather pants and ankle high boots. Cassandra held up her hand and Mathew stopped before he got to Mei.

"You pulled away from me, my dear. I don't like that." Cassandra smiled evilly. "I can see your beast in you. She is a pretty cat." Mei whimpered as she remembered Carly telling her Cassandra had the power to pull the beast from her. Cassandra turned to Mathew, "Shall we let her come at and play, Mathew?" The werewolf grinned.

"If it pleases you." He said.

Cassandra turned back to Mei. "Yes I would like to see her come out and play." With those words Mei dropped to the ground and screamed in pain as she felt her beast waken and claw at her to get out.

"Stop it! Leave her alone! You are hurting her and that breaks the truce!" Sam screamed and Cassandra smiled at her.

"No, my dear girl, she hurts herself. If she lets her cat come out willingly then she will feel no pain."

Sam looked at Mei on the ground screaming, "Let it go, Mei, let it go…please."

Mei shook her head, "I…I can't. She…she has to eat when she comes out and…and she will attack anyone close. It…it would prefer an animal and it…it smells the Ulfric. Please…please don't make me." Mei begged and then it hit Sam what Cassandra was planning. If she released Mei's cat then it would attack Mathew and the truce would be broken and Cassandra could kill the all. Mei would not stand a chance if she attacked Mathew.

"Stop it, Cassandra! I…I know what you are doing! You are trying to make us break the truce!"

Cassandra looked at Sam and smiled, "You are a cleaver girl. I was hoping you would be." She looked over her shoulder, "Jason, bring the food for our cat." Another man stepped from the darkness behind the throne and behind him on a leash was a goat. Sam knew he was a werewolf as well. She shook her head and thought poor goat.

Mei was still screaming trying to control her beast but she was about to lose control, "Mei…it's ok now…let it go."

Mei looked up at Sam and nodded. She allowed her cat to escape and it ran up the line of trees and gave a satisfactory growl of being released. Sam looked down at Mei as the girl stopped screaming and saw her change. It was not like she expected. She thought it would be like magic. A puff of smoke and then Mei was gone and a leopard was there. It was not like that. Sam saw Mei's human skin start to spilt apart and her body was reshaping itself. Sam heard skin split, bones crack and reform, muscle being ripped and reshaped and thought how could that feel pleasant and then was amazed there was no blood or other bodily fluids. After about a minute Mei's human form was gone and in it's place was a large black leopard the size of a small pony. It looked up at Sam and gave a growl that Sam found friendly and then the leopard attacked the goat. Sam had to turn her head as she heard the goat give a small sound and then sound of tissue being ripped and the crunching of bone. She focused back on Cassandra as she stood in front of Carly. Cassandra just smiled and touched Carly's cheek, "Why do you insist on falling in love with humans, Julia? That is a weakness that will get you killed."

Next she moved to Sam. The vampire smiled and reached out to Sam to caress her cheek. Sam did not flinch and let the vampire touch her as she avoided Cassandra's eyes. Sam found the touch of the vampire very pleasing and very erotic.

"So this is the necromancer and why all this fuss. You are quite pretty, necromancer." Cassandra turned to Carly, "She reminds me a little of Octavia. No wonder you like her so." Cassandra turned back to Sam. "Yes you are very pretty…I would like you to join me, Samantha, I can give you eternal life. I can give you power beyond your wildest imagination. I can give you what your heart craves. I can give you love that your mother no longer gives you and I can give you your sister back. I can teach you to use your powers and together we can bring your sister back to us an you will once again know the love so long denied to you. Your mother would be so proud of you and she would love you again for giving her back the daughter she loved." Cassandra raised herself and leaned in close to Sam, "Come to me, Samantha, join me…kiss me and that and pleasure you can only imagine can be yours. Join me, Samantha, join me and love me."

Sam felt Cassandra's power wash over her as her voice held things that words could never describe. Promises whispered in dark rooms under sheets that smelled of wonderful sex. Promises of the love of her family back…the chance to tell her sister she loved her once more. The promise of the love of a mother she craves who now looks at her with disgust and resentment. The promise of being a family again. Cassandra had rolled Sam's mind completely and the girl was lost to the vampire's power. Sam smiled and leaned down and to kiss the girl and suddenly she was brought back to reality as something sharp and painful dug into her right arm. Sam shook her head and saw Henry staring at her and gripping her arm tight as his nails dug into her. She smiled at him in thanks.

Cassandra glared at Henry as Carly spoke, "You are tempting the truce, Cassandra. She has to come willingly or it breaks the truce. You can't use your mind games on her."

Cassandra looked at Carly and smiled, "Yes…but it would have been so nice." She stepped back from the group and looked back at Henry. "You I do not get close to. You I do not trust."

Carly chuckled, "Is it lack of trust or fear, Cassandra?" Cassandra glared at Carly and once again floated over to the other vampire.

"I fear no one! No one!" She yelled and her power washed over the room again. Mathew and Jason fell to their knees in fear and Sam almost did but Henry held her up as he to staggered a little from the power. Carly flinched back and had a scared look on her face. Mei in her cat form looked over her shoulder with her back arched and gave a high pitched growl.

"I…I apologize, Cassandra. Please forgive me?" Carly said softly and Cassandra nodded and walked back to her throne. Mei came stalking back to the group licking her mouth to clean the blood. She walked up to Sam and started rubbing against Sam's legs and Sam giggled as the fur tickled her. She looked down and thought how beautiful Mei's cat was and reached down and petted her. Mei lay in the ground and purred loudly. Sam looked over at Miriam who was smiling at the scene.

"How long will she stay like this? She mentioned at least eight hours or so." Sam asked.

Miriam nodded, "Yes about eight hours. She likes you…normally her leopard form is shy around humans. She knows who her dominant is even in that form. She knows you as her protector."

Sam smiled and looked down, "She is so beautiful." She dropped to her knees and rubbed Mei's belly. Mei purred louder.

Mathew stood up and laughed, "You mean she bound you to her as her dominant? A human girl is going to protector her? I knew they were weak…I knew the leopards were worthless but to do this." Mathew laughed and walked over to Sam and Mei. He reached down to pet Mei but she got off her back and walked behind Sam and arched her back as she growled.

"If you hurt her you break the truce and you will die. I will kill you." Sam muttered under clinched teeth and Mathew looked at Sam for a moment. Sam stared at him without flinching. Mathew laughed again.

"You know…I believe you would try. You would not succeed but you would try. I will meet her another time. I do so love the taste of leopard. Her clan tasted so good. But before I eat her I will torture her to tell me where the other two are hiding and then I will eat her. Or maybe I will keep her for a whore for my pack. She is a pretty thing when human. They will use her until she is so used up and broken and then we eat her."

"You go after her I come after you. I may not wait…I may come for you first." Sam said in a low voice.

Mathew laughed again, "Girl, you will not live the night." He walked back to the throne. "Cassandra, you may have to kill her. I think she is going to be dangerous. Like taking a viper to your breast."

Cassandra laughed, "No…you just don't know how to control her, Mathew. All you know is brute force. With our necromancer here we need to be more pleasing and kind." Cassandra clapped her hands and the darkness behind her was suddenly bright with lit candles. Behind her stood two other people that Sam could feel were vampires. One male and one female. The female walked up to Cassandra and Sam saw she was dressed in a outfit similar to Carly's and Mei's, which was now just a pile of ripped leather on the floor. The female vampire's outfit was green. Sam looked at the vampire and avoided her eyes. She also was lovely with long red hair. Sam knew this must be the Riona Carly had mentioned. Riona gently took Cassandra's hand and helped her to her feet like a servant. Cassandra smiled her thanks.

"Riona, may I present out guests. You know Julia of course. The witch is of no importance and here is our lovely necromancer. I agree with you…she could take the lovely Emmanuelle's place. You have never met the Reaper but I am sure you know his reputation. The cat…well she is not in her right state at the moment for a proper introduction." Riona actually curtsied to the group and gave Carly an evil glare. Carly just smiled at her.

Cassandra giggled at the two vampire's reactions, "You must forgive them. They had a falling out years ago and they never kissed and made up." Cassandra directed her words to her guests.

Riona was not going to let it go, "You should have let me kill her the other night, Mistress."

"You would have failed, Riona, it was only with the help of the wolves that gave you the chance." Carly said.

Riona screamed at Carly and Sam felt the hair on her arms raise at that scream. It was not the scream of a human. "I could have killed you while I had you under my power while you were fucking that human male in the ally."

Sam looked up at Carly, "Something you forgot to tell me?" She snapped.

Carly shook her head, "Not now, Sam…please."

Cassandra laughed, "Oh how delightful. I just love a good lover's quarrel. Yes Samantha, you lovely girlfriend was having sex with a human man in the alley before she got terribly hurt by the wolves. She should have been feeding but I guess her sexual impulses got the better of her." Cassandra teased. "See. Julia, I always told you a human could never satisfy your sexually."

Sam glared at Carly, "And you are jealous of me and Mei. At least I never fucked her! And…and we had sex before you left!"

Carly looked at Sam, "Please, Sam…there is more to it right now and we will discuss it later. I will explain Riona latter to you. Just please calm down."

Sam nodded but she was not happy, "You are damn right you are going to explain it later."

Henry grabbed Sam's arm, "Sam…enough! This is not the time for this." He said in a stern voice and Sam crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine."

Carly looked at Cassandra, "Enough of your games, Cassandra. Tell us what you want so we can leave."

"Let me kill her, Mistress, please. You don't need her anymore." Riona begged.

"If you attack me, Riona, the truce is broken plus you are not strong enough to kill me." Carly said.

Riona hissed at Carly and flashed her fangs, "Please, Mistress, let me kill her. She is lost to you and we no longer need her." Sam could tell the red headed vampire was jealous.

"Enough, Riona! That is enough! I will not risk the truce on you personal vengeance and she would crush you anyway!" Cassandra yelled and Sam expected to feel the vampire's power rush over her again but it didn't. She directed all her power to Riona and the red head vampire fell to her knees.

"Please, Mistress, please…I…I am sorry. Please it hurts…please stop!" Sam did not know why Riona was begging for since Cassandra was just standing there with a smile on her face. She realized it must be the child vampire's power and she was glad it was not directed at her. From the moment she first saw and felt Cassandra's power Sam felt real fear for the first time in her life. She had been afraid many times and Carly scared her several times but it was nothing compared to the fear she had of Cassandra. Cassandra's fear was the fear that made ones worse nightmare come true. It was a fear that made you afraid to sleep in the dark and a fear that would haunt you for the rest of your life. She knew the answer to Carly's question from earlier. She was more afraid of Cassandra than she was of Carly. She was more afraid of Cassandra than she was of anything I her life.

"Apologize…apologize to our guests!" Cassandra ordered.

"Yes, Mistress…anything…please…just stop."

Cassandra nodded and Riona stood up and faced the group. "I…I apologize for my rudeness."

Cassandra smiled, "See…I can play the perfect hostess."

"While we find your entertainment amusing, Cassandra, tell us what you want so we can leave."

Cassandra smiled, "But I invited you to a dinner party and we have not had dinner yet. I have food for the humans, the cat already ate, and I have such a fresh boy for us, Julia." Cassandra turned her body to the third vampire. Sam saw he was dressed in a blue outfit that seemed to be made in the seventeenth century. Complete with a filly white shirt and black shoes with buckles. As the candle light hit his face Sam took a deep breath. She had never seen such a lovely man in her life. His face was almost feminine looking but with just enough masculine in it so you would not mistake him for anything but all male. He was standing next to a large black curtain and in his hand was a velvet cord that seemed to be hanging from the ceiling.

"Dante…please show our guests the dinner we have prepared for them."

"Yes, Mistress." Dante said and pulled the cord. The curtain dropped to the floor and behind it was a large wooden table and on the table was a meal fit for a king. There were different meat courses, fruits and vegetables, and all different pastries. The table looked very appealing to Sam, not that she would consider staying to eat, until she looked up above the table. Hanging by off to the side of the table was a figure. It was naked and Sam saw it was a man as the body slowly twirled as he hung from his feet. She knew that was the food for the vampires. Sam eyed the body as his front twirled around again and she saw him jerk and was glad to see he was alive. As the face came into view Sam screamed.

"Freddie…oh God…Freddie!" Sam tried to run to her best friend but Henry held her tight as he wrapped his arms around her. Mei growled threatening at Henry as the cat thought the man was harming the girl. Miriam dropped to her knees and stroked the black leopard and whispered calmly in her ear. That calmed the beast. Sam was anything but calm.

She kicked and twisted her body to try to break free. "Let me go you son of a bitch! Let me go…that's Freddie up there. They bitch is not going to touch him! I am not going to let her drink him! Fucking let me go! Freddie! Freddie! It's Sam…don't worry I will help you! Let go asshole!" Sam started crying and continued fighting. She looked up at Cassandra as she struggled, "I will kill you, bitch! Do you hear me! I will fucking kill you and cut your fucking heart out if you hurt him!"

Cassandra smiled, "Oh…I take it you know the boy. That is most unfortunate."

Carly walked to Sam. "Sam…please…she is trying to make us break the truce. Please, baby, please calm down." Sam stared at Carly.

"Why…do you want to drink his blood to? Is that why you are helping her?" Sam screamed at Carly and Carly shook her head.

"No, baby, I would never hurt him because he is your friend. Calm down and we will think of something to get him out of here…please."

Sam stared at Carly for a while and looked at Freddie hanging from the ceiling. She calmed down and Henry let go of her. Sam had tears running down her cheeks and she looked at Henry.

"Henry…the number one rule. You taught me that. I…I don't leave here without him. I can't leave here without him. Please…he is my best friend and I love him. Don't leave here without him…please."

Henry nodded. "We'll get him out of here. I promise."

Sam nodded and looked at Carly, "Sorry." She muttered and Carly nodded.

"I understand." Carly looked back at Cassandra. "What can we do to secure the boys release and still keep the truce?"

Cassandra smiled, "Well…that is not an option, Julia. We need to feed and well…Riona and Dante have not fed yet and Mathew and Jason were hoping to enjoy his flesh after we drank his blood."

Sam was about to start screaming again but Henry grabbed her and she calmed down. She looked at Cassandra's direction. "There must be something? I am beginning to understand your game, Cassandra. You have taunted us all night trying to break the truce but there was always a way out. What is the way out this time?"

Cassandra smiled at Sam. "You are a very cleaver girl, necromancer. Very cleaver indeed. I now see what you see in her, Julia." Cassandra tapped her delicate finger on her lips. "Umm…is there a way out…why I think there is." She looked at Sam and that stare made Sam take a step back. "A trade….yes that is it…and even trade. One of you for the boy."

"No! That is not the way, Cassandra. We will not trade with you." Carly yelled.

Cassandra smiled at her, "That is not your choice, Julia. I think is was Samantha that asked the question first." She looked back at Sam. "Do you agree with the terms, Samantha?"

Sam swallowed hard, "And who would you find worthy enough to trade for him?" Sam grinned now that she had figured out Cassandra's game. "Lets see…it is just Freddie. I mean he is pretty worthless unless you need someone to fix your computer or something. I don't think you are the type to own a computer. So it is just blood and meat you want. I could get any hobo off the street to give you that."

Cassandra giggled very young girl like. "You are a cleaver girl. Yes he is just a worthless human boy to me. But what does he mean to you, Samantha. I heard you shout you loved him. I saw your reaction. No he means more to you than just a…how did you say it…a hobo on the street." Sam cursed under her breath. "No it must be an equal trade and one of my liking as well." Cassandra eyed each of the five. "The witch…she is worthless and the cat. As pretty as she is I cannot turn her. Lycanthropes are immune to becoming a vampire. Granted she would make a fine play toy and pet but I already have those. Let me see…the Reaper. He is out of the question. He is too dangerous. He would find a way to kill us all as we fed off of him. That leaves Julia and you."

Sam looked at Carly and Carly looked at Sam and mouthed "I love you." And she stepped forward.

"Cassandra of Troy, by the law of the Council of Seven and the law of our Dark Mother Lilith the mother of us all…I…I chall…"

"Noooo! Shut up, Carly!" Sam said as she pulled Carly back before she could finish. Carly glared at Sam. Sam glanced up at Cassandra and saw her smiling with anticipation and her eyes were gleaming like emeralds. Sam could tell the child vampire wanted the challenge.

"Sam…what are you doing. I am giving you a way out. Let me challenge her and take your friend and leave."

Sam shook her head, "No…I…I can't let you. I know what you are doing. You did not whisper enough when you talked to Henry earlier and Mei heard you and told me. I…I cannot let you, Carly. I won't let you. She will kill you. I felt her power and I have felt yours. She will kill you."

Carly nodded, "Yes she will kill me but you would be free and your friend would be safe. Take it Sam. Take it and run. Henry will hide you."

"Ladies…time is of the essence here. Either allow Julia to challenge me…which does appeal to me quite well…or you know what to do." Cassandra taunted.

Sam glared back at her, "Give me time, bitch!" She turned back to Carly, "Carly, this is my fight. It was my fight before you came. She would be satisfied killing you but it is me she wants. She will never stop hunting for me. I could feel it when she rolled my mind and tempted me. I…I can't let you die for me. I can't let any of you die for me." Sam had tears running down her cheeks. "I love you, Carly, I truly do and I won't let you die for me." Sam reached down and petted Mei and the cat looked at her with sad eyes and stood up. Sam wrapped her arms around Mei's muscular neck and hugged the black leopard tight. The car gave a low growl and started purring again. Sam let go and looked into the cat's amber eyes. "You are so beautiful…in both forms you are so beautiful." She wiped her eyes and looked at Miriam. "I…thank you for what you have done…and…and find her the pard she needs and her Nimir-Raj to protect her." Miriam nodded and was crying and hugged Sam's neck. Sam pried the lady from her and stood up. She looked at Henry and gave him a weak smile.

"Thanks, Henry. I…I know better than to hug you." Henry grinned and Sam continued, "Rule number one, Henry. Never give the humans to the monsters and if you cannot get them out alive then put a bullet in the person's head so the monsters can't get them."

Henry nodded his understanding and Sam continued, "She is going to be pissed and may not let you live."

Henry smiled, "Let me worry about that. It does not break the truce since I won't be harming one of her five here tonight. We can play her game as well" Sam nodded and then looked at Henry with a serious expression on her face.

"Will…will it hurt?" She asked. Henry shook his head.

"No…I will make it so you will not feel a thing."

Sam nodded again and asked another question. She knew she was stalling and so did Henry. Henry was going to give her time. It was her life after all. "Is…is it better than what she is going to do to me?"

Henry nodded, "Yes Sam, it is better than what she would do to you."

"My mom…will you tell her something make it look like I ran away or something. She won't care because she doesn't love me…but I don't want her to know another one of her daughters died."

Henry nodded, "I will see to it."

Sam had run out of questions and she looked at Henry. "Fuck it!" She said and jumped in his arms and hugged him tight. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a quick squeeze and before her let her go he whispered in her ear, "They all die, Sam, every one of them are dead they just don't know it yet. I promise you that." Sam stepped back and smiled at him and nodded.

"Enough of your sentiments…you humans are so emotional. What is the choice. Who are you trading for the boy?" Cassandra asked.

Sam reached over and grabbed Carly's hand. "Me…take me but let Freddie go first."

Cassandra smiled and waved her hand and Dante grabbed a rope and lowered the boy to the ground. He then picked Freddie up and walked to Sam and dropped him at Sam's feet. Sam knelt down and Freddie opened his eyes and gave her a weak smile.

"Hey, Sam…you were right. Vampires are real." Sam could tell that Freddie's mind was under one of the vampire's control since he was so calm. She was glad of that since it would spare her best friend any pain of what was going to happen.

Sam smiled back, "You stupid dork. I should let them have you." She stood and grabbed Carly's hand again, "Make him safe…please." Carly nodded and Sam looked back at Cassandra. "Ok…I am ready."

Cassandra smiled, "Then come to me child. Come to me willingly."

Sam shook her head, "No…I am coming but it will not be willingly." Sam looked down at her feet willing them to move.

Cassandra laughed, "Oh you will, child…you will." Sam felt a rush of power wash over her again. This time is was a pleasant feeling like a rush of warm water suroundung her body on a cold day. Sam felt love wash over her. Not sexual love or romantic love but the love she had been denied for so long. The love she craved ever since her sister died. The love of family. She smiled as she looked up and saw not Cassandra waiting for her but her own self. She looked harder and saw the minor differences that her and her sister knew about one another but no one else ever saw. Sam smiled.

"Melanie? I…you died…I thought you died."

Sam's sister smiled at her, "No, Samantha, it was just a dream…a bad dream. You are awake now and we are waiting for you. We can be a family again…me, you, and mommy." Melanie looked to her right and Sam saw she was holding someone's hand. Sam looked over and saw her mother standing there waiting for her.

"Mommy…but…but you don't love me anymore." Sam whispered as she took a step forward.

"Oh, Sam, I always loved you…it was a bad dream, baby. How could I not love you? You are my daughter. Come to us…we will be happy again."

"Yes, Samantha…I have missed you and I love you. Come to us." Melanie said and Sam walked to her sister and mother with tears in her eyes.

"I…I love you Melanie…I love you so much…I…I thought I lost you." Sam said,

"I know…and I love you…we both love you. You never lost me. We want to be a family again. Just the three of us forever."

Sam started walking a little faster and was crying, "Yes…a family forever." She repeated.

Carly heard Sam's words and knew what Cassandra had done. She knew Cassandra had rolled Sam's mind and it was over. Sam would never turn back. Cassandra had found the one weak spot…Sam's greatest desire. To have her sister back and her mother love her again. She screamed Sam's name over and over and begged the girl to turn around. She even tried to enter Sam's mind to show her the truth but Cassandra's powers were too great. She looked at the boy on the floor. He had not clue what was going on and Carly glared at him with hate. It was his fault. If not for him Sam would not be going to her fate at the hands of Cassandra. Carly wanted to kill the boy…to rip his heart out and eat it but she wouldn't. She made a promise to Sam she would see the boy to safety and she would. She would help him and then she would come back with Henry and kill them all and if not too late she would save Sam. But she knew it would be to late. She knew Cassandra would do tonight whatever she had planned for Sam and it would be to late. She made Sam promise her that if Cassandra ever claimed her again Sam would kill her. Carly vowed she would now do the same. If it was too late for Sam tomorrow night then she would kill the girl. It would break her heart but she could not bare to know Sam would go through the torment she had to endure at the hands of Cassandra. Carly looked over at Henry and saw the man had his gun out and was drawing his aim as Sam. Carly started at him in shock as she knew what he was planning to do.


	33. Chapter 33

As Carly saw Henry bring his gun up she finally understood the conversation that Sam and the man had before Sam agreed to trade herself to Cassandra for her friend Freddie. Sam had told Henry to kill her before Cassandra took her. Carly wanted to stop it. She wanted to knock the gun from Henry's arms but she could not. She knew what fate awaited Sam. Carly had lived…well unlived…that fate for over two thousand years. Carly knew Cassandra would either turn Sam into a vampire of mark her as her human servant. Either way it would be an eternity of living hell. She knew what Cassandra would do to Sam because it had been done to her and Cassandra was a cruel mistress. Carly knew it would hurt to lose Sam to death but in time that would fade but the thought of Sam living all eternity under Cassandra's control was something Carly could not live with. So she waited for the sound and knew it was coming soon. She did not cry as she wanted to. She needed to be strong because after the shot all hell was going to break loose with Cassandra's anger and the truce be damned. She flinched a little as she felt something heavy rub against her leg. She looked down at Mei, now in her lovely black leopard form and smiled. She disliked the wereleopard immensely and was jealous of her because Sam was attracted her and maybe even liked her more than she was willing to admit, but at this moment she felt pity for the girl. She reached down and petted her briefly and stood back up and closed her eyes again begging Henry to hurry before she lost her nerve. Carly's body jerked as she heard the shot, heard Mei give a low threatening growl, and slowly opened her tear filled eyes.

Carly looked up at the throne expecting to see Sam's body laying dead on the floor and Cassandra in all her glorious evil fury unleashed but she didn't. She heard Cassandra laugh as her arms were wrapped around a much alive Sam in a loving embrace and Sam hugging her back with just as much love. Next to Cassandra Carly saw Riona with her arm wrapped around Sam as well. Carly knew what Sam felt and saw. The vampire could feel love washing over her from Sam. Love filled with belief her sister was still alive and her mother truly loved her. Two desires Sam had above anything else. Carly looked to her right wondering why Henry had failed in his killing shot and saw Dante standing in front of Henry with his left arm gripping the human man's right and holding it above his head. The male vampire had gotten to Henry first in a blur of speed and Carly knew Cassandra anticipated their move and her laugh confirmed it.

"Do you take me for a fool? Did you think I would not guess your little plan? I know you to well, Reaper. You would rather see a human die than be joined with us." Cassandra, still holding Sam with a loving embrace, turned her eyes to Carly. "You are dangerously close to breaking the truce, Julia, but I am in a forgiving mood tonight. Dante will escort you out but I warn you…you have very little time to leave my abode." Carly saw one of the walls behind the throne open making a wide doorway and vampires started filing out and lining up behind the throne. Carly counted twelve of them and a few she recognized. "My children have not fed yet tonight and they are hungry." Cassandra continued with a child like smile that made her look like a sweet beautiful innocent fourteen year old, "Dante will escort you out and you have very few moments before I release them. Any one of you caught in my home is food." Cassandra looked up and Riona, "Come, Riona, let us take out new daughter to her new home so we may begin to teach her." Riona smiled and took Sam's willing right hand and Cassandra took her left and Carly saw the three walk through a door to the side of the room. She glanced over at Henry and saw Dante had released him and the man was staring at the vampires. Some were actually salivating at the thought of fresh blood.

Dante looked at Carly and then back at Henry and saw the look in the man's eyes as he stared at the vampires lined up and hoping for a meal. Carly knew Henry was memorizing them and picturing how each one is going to look as they died. "Come, you cannot kill them all, Reaper." Dante said.

Henry smiled, "No…not tonight I can't." He holstered his gun and turned to Carly. "Let's get the fuck out of here. Grab the boy and let's go."

Miriam looked at them, "We…we cannot leave her. We just can't leave Sam."

Carly looked at her with disgust, "What are you going to do, witch? Cast a spell to send them all to hell? No…because you can't. You magic is useless against us…them. Get you cat and we leave and if we live we come back."

Miriam swallowed and nodded. She reached over and pulled on Mei's neck to leave. Dante looked at Carly, "I am truly sorry, Julia. We should go now before Cassandra decides to release her control on them." Carly gave him a look and nodded and followed them out of them room and the huge double doors slammed shut behind them. Carly walked next to Dante and Miriam was helping Freddie walk, the boy was dazed looking around with a smile on his face. Mei was stalking next to Miriam and Henry brought up the rear. All of them, besides the confused Freddie who was now wearing Henry's tuxedo jacket to cover his naked body, suddenly turned and looked at the closed marble doors behind them as they felt a rush of ice cold wind. The doors seemed bend and bulge outward and a smell of rotten corpses filled the air. Miriam and Henry gagged at the smell and Mei let out a low growl. Marble does not buckle and bend like that does it? It was like a hurricane force wind was trying to break free of the room. But they were deep in the ground. How can it be storming underground? A sudden wave for fear and nightmares rushed over them and Miriam screamed at the sensation while Henry clinched his teeth and fists as if to calm his self. Freddie fell to his knees screaming and Carly staggered as Dante grabbed her to hold her up while Mei's cat form seemed to grovel on the floor letting out small feline whimpers. They all felt like they just woke up in a cold sweat from their worse nightmares. Dante eased his grip on Carly.

"I suggest we hurry, Cassandra seemed to lie. She is releasing her control on her children sooner than she said she would." He said loudly. Carly nodded and the group walked quickly up the passageway to the outside. As they followed Carly walked up next to Dante.

"What is she going to do to her, Dante? Is she going to turn her or is she going to force the marks on her?"

Dante glanced at Carly as they walked, "You know she would kill me if I told you." Carly grabbed his arm and they stopped. Causing the rest of the group to stop as well with Henry was in the back looking the way they had came watching and waiting. Mei was walking close to Miriam who was trying to help a dazed and very confused Freddie walk. Carly could have sworn the look on Henry's face was one of hoping the other vampires were coming so he could kill. She turned back to Dante.

"You are dead anyway, Dante. Do you see that man back there?" Carly pointed to Henry who was ignoring them, "That is the man your fear the most and you know it. That is the man the Council dubbed the Reaper and warned us about. The only human they fear. Look at his eyes Dante." Dante looked at Henry who stared at Dante and the vampire looked back at Carly. Carly saw fear in his eyes and was glad, "That look in his eyes right now is death Dante. I know…I have seen it directed at me. He is going to kill you Dante. Make no mistake…he is going to kill every vampire and werewolf that was in that room tonight. He will hunt them all down and kill them."

Dante glanced back at Henry but the man was now focused on the dark corridor. "I…I did not know her cared about the girl like that?" Dante said and his normal seductive voice was riddled with fear. Carly laughed.

"Yes he does. He will never admit it but he does and Cassandra made it personal now. He would kill all of you regardless…me included…just for the thrill of the hunt and the challenge but now it is more than that and now I intend to help him. I will join him on his hunt and you know what I can do. Tell me and I will spare you. I am not asking you to save Sam or betray your blood oath. Just tell me what she is planning on doing to Samantha." Carly said the last sentence as if she was pleading and Dante looked at her.

"You…you love her. You love the girl." Dante said like it was something impossible. Carly just nodded as she looked up at the taller vampire. "Tell me something I want to know and I tell you what her plans are with the girl." Carly nodded again and Dante reached up and caressed Carly's cheek. Mei let out a low growl and Miriam started petting her to calm her down. "Tell me, Julia, no…don't tell me…show me like you can. Show me what love is like. I have forgotten what it is like to truly love." Carly nodded and felt a wave of brief pity for Dante. He was only a little over three hundred years old and she knew herself how it felt to forget the wonderful feeling of being in love. She had forgotten herself for over two thousand years. Yes she loved Riona at one time and of course sweet Emmanuelle but it was different. Their love was a sister love and a corrupt love that only vampires could share. It was not the love humans could have. It was not true love. Then there was Cassandra. Carly loved Cassandra as a young child loves an abusive parent. The child hates and loves the parent and cannot seem to live without them until they get older.

"Whatever the hell you are going to do…do it quick. I hear them coming. They are coming slow but they are coming." Henry shouted and Mei's back stiffened and her cat head came up and sniffed the air. She let out a growl and stalked next to Henry with her back arched. Henry looked down and nodded at the cat. He figured having a wereleopard at his side when fighting vampires is not to bad an idea. They were stronger and faster than a real leopard and even the week ones would be more than a match for a younger vampire.

Carly reached up and gently caressed Dante's face and opened her mind as he opened his. She nudged her thoughts into his mind and he sighed as Carly allowed him to feel how she felt about Sam. Carly looked up at the vampire and saw him smile and give a shiver of pleasure and he opened his watery eyes and looked at Carly. "Thank you," he whispered and then shook his head and his voice became strong again. "She is not going to mark the girl and make her her servant. Cassandra is too selfish for that. She is going to turn her and then use her mind to give the girl her full necromancer power and then issue a challenge for a seat on the council."

Carly shook her head, "Why her…why Sam? There may be few true necromancers left but there are some already trained."

Dante shook his head, "Not like her…or so Cassandra said. You know her visions. She foresaw Sam as a powerful necromancer who could control all the dead…even vampires…when she had fully grown into her power. Imagine it, Julia…she would be able to order a vampire to wake during the day and walk into the sun. She would be able to turn other vampires against their masters. Such power over us…no wonder the council used to issue orders to kill them and sent the Deathstalkers after them."

Carly shook her head, "That is foolish, Dante. That is only legend. I have walked this world for over two thousand years and never have met one of that power. I heard rumors of some but they have never been confirmed."

Dante shook his head, "No…there has been, Julia, Cassandra showed me the written record of the council of one. It was long ago when even she was young."

Carly shook her head again, "She has just gone mad anyway. The Father of Nightmares will kill her." Dante laughed at that and Carly glared at him, "What is so funny. Surely you don't think she can beat him?"

The male vampire shook his head, "No it is not that…it is the other reason Cassandra came for the girl. She saw her death and it was not at the hands of the Father of Nightmares…she saw the girl as her death and that is another reason she wants to turn the girl. If she controlled her the girl can't kill her."

Carly was about to say something when Henry told her they had better move and move fast. They made it to the entrance and Sebastian was not at the door. Instead another man was there and Carly could smell he was a werewolf in his human form. He grinned at the black leopard like he wanted to eat her and then handed Henry back the gun and holster Sam had to leave as well as the crosses.

"You are outside and safe now." Dante said and looked at Carly. "Remember your word, Julia; you said I would be spared...but I don't think I will have to worry. Cassandra will kill you all." Carly just nodded.

"Ain't the sexy blonde girl coming back to?" The werewolf said as she handed Henry the gun. "Ummm…maybe I should get downstairs. Cassandra is always good about sharing her toys when she is done with them." The man laughed as he taunted Henry.

Henry looked at Carly, "Truce over I take it?" Carly nodded. I one quick motion Henry pulled his pistol and stuck in under the werewolf's chin and pulled the trigger. The man's head exploded and it sent blood, bone, and brain matter spraying on the wall behind him and some on Henry's face and chest coving his white shirt with blood. When the dead man fell to the ground Henry put two more bullets in his chest. Since they were silver plated the wereanimal was not going to heal. Henry looked at Dante who took a step back. "She made the promise. I didn't. Have hope she gets to you before I do." Henry walked to the waiting limo and they all got in. The driver looked at Henry.

"By the looks of things, I figure one of the two girls that did not come out was a wereanimal but what happened to the other one?"

"Just drive. I need to get home and clean and I need to you to go pick up something for me in the morning."

The driver nodded, "What kind of toys will you need?"

Henry grinned at the thought of killing the vampires and the werewolves, "The kind that go boom and cause a lot of death."

Carly sat in the back of the limo and the leopard Mei tried to jump up on the seat and rest her head on her lap but she pushed her away and looked at Miriam. "Get this thing away from me." Carly snapped.

Miriam glared at Carly as the leopard went to her. "You don't have to be so hateful. We are all upset about what happened tonight. And what happened to you being nice to Mei? I noticed it earlier."

Carly turned her face to look out the window, "Unity is over…no we go back to me hating the little bitch…sorry she is a cat not a dog."

Miriam frowned and looked at Freddie. The boy still had a bemused look on his face and looked completely confused. "What is wrong with him? Is there anything I can do to help him?"

Carly still did not turn her head and continued to look at the window. "Cassandra or another vampire rolled his mind…did a good job to from the look of it. I would say either her, Dante, or Riona. He'll be ok in a few hours."

"Will he remember anything?"

"No…not on his own he won't but I am going to make sure he remembers every thing." Carly hissed.

Miriam leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why…why make him remember? It is best he doesn't. We don't know what he went through before we go there and even after we did…I…I wish I could forget. I wish I could forget the fear and all we saw."

Carly still did not turn her head and continued to look out the window. "I am going to make the bastard remember because it is his fault Samantha is gone to me…that she is gone. I promised her I would see him safe so I cannot kill him like I want to but I can damn sure make his life a living hell to where he wished he was dead."

"And why would you do that? What would it accomplish? It would not bring her back, Carly. You claim you love her and I believe you do…well show that love. With love comes kindness and be kind to her by being kind to the people she loves. She is not dead…she is just in a lot of trouble and I know you and Henry are going to try and save her. What then? What if you save her and she sees what you did to her best friend she loved enough to sacrifice herself for? You were going to do the same for her. You were going to give your life so she could live. Would you want her to hate anyone who she thought caused that? It is not his fault. His only fault was being Sam's friend. If not him then it would have been another. You know Cassandra planned this…all of this tonight and she won match. It is time to move to the next round."

"You have no idea what Samantha is going to suffer for just one night with her! You have no idea the torment she will have to endure. You felt her tonight! You felt her power and what she can do and that was just a taste…a small taste. Sam's body will be alive tomorrow that is true. It takes longer than one night to turn someone…but her mind may not be. Cassandra will own her after tonight. Now leave me alone. I am done talking about it."

Miriam shook her head, "No…I am not. I am not one of the vampires you can order around. I am not some poor scared girl like Mei you can bully with your threats and power."

"You should be scared. I could easily kill you, witch. Your powers are useless against me." Carly said as she still looked out the window. Miriam smiled because Carly's voice no longer held the menace it had before.

"Yes you could…very easily. Do you frighten me…yes you do. But I have lived a good life. I have children and grandchildren and while I would dearly love to see my grandchildren grow I am not afraid to die. My magic can not protect me. As both you and Cassandra pointed out…my magic is worthless against you and her. My magic does not work on the dead. Give me nail clippings or a lock of hair from someone living and I could put a hell of a curse on them, but against the dead I am useless. But I am also knowledgeable. That vampire…Dante…he mentioned that Cassandra was going to use her mind powers to bring Sam's necromancer powers to full potential. She can't do that…we can't let her so that."

"Why?"

"Because these powers have to develop naturally if at all. Sam may have the potential to do these things Cassandra thinks she can but left on their own they may never develop. She may never gain these powers in her life time…but to force them like she is planning with destroy her mind, Carly. It will be like over loading an electrical current and it will short out…her mind will short out. So stop sulking and stop hating everyone and let's get Sam back."

Carly finally turned to face Miriam and the woman saw she had been crying the entire time. She was not sobbing of course but she had a steady stream of tears running down her face. Carly had shed so many tears that they were now being tainted with blood and looked like soft pink water running down her cheeks as can happen when a vampire sheds to many tears. Since is happens so rarely and few have seen it and fewer have done it the legend among vampires is that it only happens when a vampire is truly heartbroken.

"All I have known since my cursed life has been hate. Hate and jealousy and death and torture and suffering and I have been the cause of all that not just the victim of it. I have tormented peoples with nightmares to where they have gone mad. I have killed without a thought. I have drank the blood of kings and queens and emperors as I controlled their minds. I played them like puppets for my own amusement and the amusement of my Mistress. I forced them to comment terrible acts to the people they took oaths to protect. I made them wage wars until the ground was soaked with blood. I relished in it. I took pleasure from it." Carly said harshly and her voice softened. "I have not known love in over two thousand years and I don't understand it. I…I don't want it. I want my hate and vengeance. I want what I know and what I am good at. I am not good at love but I…I don't want to give it up either."

Miriam slowly reached her hand out across the seat and touched Carly. Carly did not pull away and seemed to ignore it as she turned to look out the window again. "You are wrong, Carly, you know how to love. You are showing that right now by feeling sadness and loss for her and regret you could not protect her. I saw what you were going to do tonight for her. You were going to give your life to protect her. That is love."

Carly looked at Miriam again and for the first time since she met the vampire Miriam saw how she was feeling. She did not see a two thousand year old vampire that was so powerful it was frightening. She did not see the cruelness in Carly or the hate she had shown ever since Miriam had met her. What Miriam saw was a seventeen year old girl who had a broken heart. A seventeen year old girl who wanted and desired to be held and comforted but was to ashamed to ask. Miriam was a mother of two daughters and knew what Carly needed. Carly needed someone to comfort her and tell her it was going to be alright. The older lady moved to sit next to Carly and wrapped her arms around the vampire and Carly collapsed in her arms and started sobbing as she moved to lay down and place her head in Miriam's lap and allowed the woman to stoke her hair and whisper soothing words. Mei moved to the floor of the limo's back seat and laid down so her head was close to Carly's. Carly smiled weakly as she cried and ran her fingers through the cat's soft black coat mimicking the movements of the lady's hand on her own hair. Miriam pressed the button to raise the privacy screen to shield them from the front.

When the limo pulled up in front of Sam's house Miriam tapped Carly's shoulder and the vampire sat up in one graceful movement. Carly looked at Miriam with a blank expression and wiped her face.

"I will not harm the boy. Not because of your words or a moment of weakness on my part, but because Sam would not want me to. And this changes nothing." Carly got out of the limo and made her way to the house. She could feel the sun would be up soon and knew she had time to shower before she went into her undead sleep.

Miriam watched Carly walk into the home and frowned as she knew the vampire was back. Her brief burst of emotion would not change her. Nothing could change what two thousand years of cruelty had given her.

Sam walked as her sister held her right hand and her mother her left and felt love run over her body like she never felt before and she wanted to wrap that feeling around her like a blanket and never let it go. Her heart was pounding with the joy of love she thought was gone to her. Her sister and mother led her to a large room and in the center of the room was a large canopy bed with white satin sheets that was so inviting. Melanie led Sam to the bed and both girls laid down next to one another and Melanie pulled Sam close. Sam found herself naked as Melanie kissed her cheek and then placed her head on her shoulder. "I love you Samantha…you are home now." Melanie whispered and Sam smiled. She was home and it felt so right. She felt like she belonged again and she felt like nothing was ever going to make her unhappy anymore. Sam looked at her mother who smiled and bent down and kissed her other cheek and started to walk away from the room. Sam eyes followed her.

"Where…where are you going? Please come back." Sam asked in a weak voice.

Her mother turned and smiled, "I will give you time alone with your sister. I will be back soon…very soon. I love you, Sam."

Sam smiled, "I love you to, mommy." She turned her head to look at Melanie and saw the canopy start to fall down around her and she giggled as her eyes saw the silk material of the canopy getting closer and closer. She thought it was funny and turned to Melanie to look and thought how they would play and laugh as the canopy fell around them. She saw her sister's face and she screamed.

Sam looked above her as she screamed and saw it was not the soft silk of a canopy closing around her but the satin lined lid of a coffin. She screamed louder and put her hands up to hold the lid so it would not close but the vampire next to her grabbed her hands and the lid closed tight and Sam heard it being locked in place. The coffin was larger than the one she saw at her sister's funeral and wider enough for two people to lay side by side very close. She was surprised she could see the lip and briefly wondered where the light could be coming from inside the dark box and she noticed the lid was higher than her arms could reach out to without sitting up. She wanted to sit up. She wanted to bang on the lid of the coffin and scream for help but her arms were being held tight by the small hands of a young girl and she could not move them. Sam could not understand how such a lovely little girl could be so strong and then she screamed again in terror as she heard the girl laugh.

Sam felt Cassandra's mind wash over her like the ocean over a seashell and it filled her up and emptied her out. Sam knew that mind could drive her mad with just a thought and there was nothing she could do about it. Sam backed away from the girl but soon her back hit the side of the coffin and there was not place to go. No place to run. She screamed again and once more the girl laughed and once again Sam felt the terror run through her body.

"How old am I, Samantha?" Cassandra asked.

Sam shook her head, "I…I don't know."

Cassandra was not pleased with the answer, "Tell me how old I am!" She asked in a grown up voice.

"I…I can't. I…I don't know why but I can't." Sam whispered.

Again Cassandra was not pleased, "How old is Dante?"

Sam thought for a moment about the male vampire, "Three hundred…around three hundred but no more than four hundred."

"And Riona!" Cassandra demanded.

Sam thought of the red head vampire, "Nine…nine hundred…no more."

"How…how do you know but cannot know my age!" Cassandra was getting angry.

"I…I don't know…I can just feel it…like…like power. I don't know…please…please I am sorry." Sam started begging. She really could not explain it. When she accidentally found out she could tell a vampires age when she felt Carly's age it was strange. It was like she just could like how someone who knew horses could tell horses or someone who knew cars could tell cars. She had friends who could see a car and tell year make and model and even engine size with a glance and a sound. It was the same with her and vampires. It was nothing magical or mystical it just was. But she did not think it was a good idea to compare Cassandra to a horse or a car so she did not try to explain it.

Cassandra rolled on top of her and with her right hand pinned both of Sam's arms above her head holding her tight. Sam tried to struggle but her hands would not move. The girl's strength was like Sam's hands were pinned under a truck.

"Look at me, Samantha." Cassandra said and Sam started moving her head back and forth to avoid looking into Cassandra's eyes.

"No…please no…Oh God, please help me. Please help me, God!" Sam begged and cried and once again that laugh that drove Sam mad.

"God? Your God will not help you girl. You God is dead to you now. I am the only god you have. You will worship me." Sam felt harder pressure on her hands and then Cassandra grabbed her hair with her other hand and pulled Sam's head hard. "Look at me!" She commanded and Sam did.

Sam became cold so very cold and suddenly she felt so insignificant and like nothing compared to the girl who entered her mind. She felt like she should bow down and beg forgiveness to this lovely goddess on top of her. Sam wanted to please her and worship her. It just seemed like the right thing to do…to worship this goddess. Sam felt her teeth start to chatter because of how cold she was.

"How old am I am S-a-m-a-n-t-h-a?" Cassandra asked stretching her name out biting off each syllable.

"Three…three thousand…maybe…maybe more but not much more." Sam said through chattering teeth and her bones actually ached at how old Cassandra was.

Cassandra laughed and that laugh warmed Sam's body as Cassandra let go of her hair. "You are good." She squealed like a young girl getting what she wanted for her birthday. Cassandra's finger of her free hand started tracing down Sam's cheek and over her chin and then down her neck in a seductive manner. Sam wanted to move and push the vampire away but she just couldn't. He mind willed her body to move but her body refused.

"I am your Mistress now, Samantha. I am your goddess. You will bow down to me when I command you and you will do as I say. I will teach you and show you your power and though you it will be mine to control." Cassandra giggled again, "I can peel the layers of your mind away like an onion, Samantha. Do you believe me?"

Sam nodded; not only did she believe she knew the vampire could do it. Cassandra smiled again as her hand kept tracing down Sam's naked body and Sam took a deep intake of breath as the girl's finger found her nipple. Sam clinched her teeth and Cassandra giggled, "I will show you pleasures beyond you wildest desires, Samantha. I will teach you how to give those pleasures to others," Cassandra pinched Sam's nipple hard and Sam screamed out in pain, "But you must earn those pleasures and first I will teach you to fear and teach you pain and teach you to obey." Cassandra let go of Sam's arms and Sam tried to lower her arms but they would not move like the rest of her body. Cassandra started kissing her way down Sam's neck and paused on Sam's rapid beating pulse of her neck. Sam tightened her body to wait for the girl to bite her neck. Cassandra noticed this and giggled. "You fear me don't you, girl?" Cassandra asked and Sam nodded. She could not talk. It was nothing Cassandra was doing to her. It was just that her voice refused to come out. She moved her lips to say yes but no sound came out of her. Cassandra giggled again and Sam thought it sounded like something she would hear on a playground. A giggle so full of joy and innocence.

"It is wise to fear me, Samantha." Cassandra kissed past Sam's neck and Sam let out a sigh when the vampire did not bite her. Cassandra continued to kiss down Sam's body seductively and the vampire made her way down and spread Sam's legs apart. Sam tried to close them but her muscles would not obey her mind as her legs spread.

"No…please don't." Sam begged and whimpered softly as Cassandra kissed her inner thigh. Cassandra looked up and smiled at the girl.

"Before the dawn comes you will know pleasure from me. You will give me pleasure. You will beg for me to give you what your body will desire. You will beg to please me. You will do so willingly." Cassandra started kissing Sam's thigh again running her tongue over the girl.

"No…no…I…oh please…no." Sam begged again and Cassandra looked up once more and smiled again.

"But first you will know pain!" Cassandra hissed and Sam saw her fangs spring out and the look in her eyes and her face became something inhuman and beastly. Her physical appearance did not change but Sam saw something unholy in the girl's face and she screamed in terror and then she screamed in pain as the girl sank her fangs deep into Sam's inner thigh close to her most intimate part of her body. Sam continued to scream and she wanted to move. To get away but her body still refused to obey her mind and she closed her eyes as she screamed and felt Cassandra drinking her blood. Sam did not know how long Cassandra fed on her as time seemed to stop but she felt her body go weak and knew the vampire was draining her so she would bled to death. She weakly opened her eyes when she felt the vampire's mouth leave her thigh and she looked down. Cassandra moved her body back up on top of the girl. Cassandra looked into Sam eyes and the blonde tried to pull her gaze from the vampire's eyes but could not. Sam saw two small orbs of blue flame leave the vampires eyes and they floated toward Sam. Sam did not know what they were as they headed to her own eyes but she knew she did not want them touching her. She tried to close her eyes but they would not close. She tried to move her head but it would not move. The blue fiery orbs looked like blue flaming eyes as they floated closer to Sam. Sam screamed in pain as the orbs touched her eyes and she felt like her own eyes were on fire and melting. She finally was able to close her eyes and she held them shut tight until the pain was gone. She opened her eyes and saw Cassandra still above her. The vampire's face so close to her she could smell her own blood on Cassandra's breath.

"You belong to me, Samantha, and soon I will own you and your soul will be damned." Cassandra said through blood stained lips. She leaned back and held her wrist to her mouth and bit into it and blood came gushing out. She held her wrist to Sam's mouth.

"Drink, my child, drink as I give you eternal life and the dark gift." Cassandra commanded. Sam eagerly grabbed Cassandra's arm and brought her own mouth close and parted her lips and wrapped her mouth around the wound and drank. She drank with starving hunger and eagerly as Cassandra laughed.


	34. Chapter 34

_**Ok…sorry for the long absence. I got wrapped up in another story I am working on but I must finish this one…I do love this one. Plus had two grueling tests for school and thanks for those who waited.**_

Sam woke with the sound clicking and opened her eyes. She had her arms wrapped around a beautiful girl who appeared to be sleeping and she smiled and snuggled close to the cold naked body next to her. Suddenly there was bright light and she looked to see the lid of the coffin opened and a man standing above her. Sam quickly pulled a sheet over her to cover her naked body and she clutched the girl next to her tighter. She knew the man wanted to take her away from the girl…Cassandra…the girl she loved and adored. The girl whose side she never wanted to leave. The girl who gave her so much pleasure and desire. The girl she would have died for. The man grabbed her hands and pulled her up with great strength.

"Nooo…please…noooo!" Sam screamed and struggled. "Please don't take me away from her. Pleaaaase…I…don't…I can't live without her. Please let me stay…please don't take me away from her!" Sam begged and pleaded as she tried to hold on the dead cold girl.

The man laughed and pulled Sam out of the coffin her arms and closed the lid of the coffin. Sam screamed and hit him in the face. He staggered back more from the shock of being hit than from the actually blow. Sam ran back to the coffin and tried to open the lid but it was two heavy. She dropped to her knees and started to cry.

"Please…I beg you…please let me go back…please let me see her and hold her!" Sam begged as she hugged the coffin tight.

The man grabbed her by her hair and threw her against the wall. Sam's back slammed against the stone wall and it hurt but she was grateful for the pain. The pain made Cassandra's control of her mind go away. She stood up and shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked at the coffin again but this time not in desire to go back in but in fear. Sam was never going back in that hellish box again. That box filled with the horrors and nightmares Cassandra had shown her. That box filled with disgusting and perverted things Cassandra did to her and made her do in return. That box filled with a girl of such pure evil that Sam knew she came from the darkest pits of hell. Sam would die before she went back in that coffin again.

Sam looked at he man wore was wearing jeans and a black tee shirt to show off his muscles and saw the man had a gun tucked into the front of the waist of his pants. Sam's mind flashed to her lessons with Henry…revolver…six bullets… thought quickly and looked at the man's face and recognized it as Jason…the werewolf from the previous night. She glared at him and he laughed.

"You need to eat. She wants you to keep up your strength. Eat and I will put you back." The man said and spread his arm to show Sam a table that was full of breakfast foods. Bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, and juice lay about the table. The man tossed Sam a robe and she put it on.

Sam felt sudden hunger and she walked to the table and sat down and starting eating. She stuffed food in her mouth like she had not eaten in days. After a while and when she drank a large glass of juice in almost one swallow she looked up at the man who was standing close to her.

"I…I am not going back in there…please…please don't put me back." Sam begged in a fearful voice.

"Yeah, honey, you are. She has ordered it. Now come on and let's go. Play nice and I won't get rough with you." He chuckled.

Sam shook her head. She was afraid not of the man, what could he do to her? Beat her…kill her…those were nothing compared to the horrors that awaited her in that coffin with that…that evil thing. "No…please…I…please don't. Kill me if you have to…oh God please kill me but don't…don't put me back there…please!" Sam screamed as tears ran down her face. "Oh God please just kill me…I beg you to kill me! Just…just don't put me in there with _her_ again…please!" The man grabbed her by her hair again and lifted her from her chair.

"Get up, girl. You go back in!" He yelled and dropped Sam to her knees.

Sam looked up at him and grabbed his legs and hugged them tight. "Nooo…please don't…I…I will do anything…just not her…not back in there!" Sam swallowed hard and dropped her robe from her shoulders after she let go of the man. "I…I will let you fuck me…I will do anything you ask! I…I will do it anyway you want but please just don't give me back to her!" She clutched the man again and he laughed as her stood Sam up by pulling her hair.

"As tempting as that is, girl, it is not worth her wrath. No in you go." He started dragging a kicking and screaming and pleading Sam back to the coffin by her hair. As he bent over to open the lid while he held Sam with on hand Sam's flailing hand touched the butt of the man's gun. She suddenly pulled it out of his pants and pulled the trigger. The man staggered back and fell to the floor holding his stomach as Sam was dropped to her knees.

"You bitch…that is loaded with silver bullets!" He groaned and tried to stand. "Do…do you know how…how long and painfully it is going to take me to heal?" Sam ignored him and wiped her face while holding the gun. She stood and walked to the man.

"Silver bullets…good to know." She muttered and shot the man in the head. "Heal that you fucking son of a bitch! I fucking told you I was not going back in that fucking coffin!" She screamed at him. She was tempted to shot the man until the gun was empty but her instinct and Henry's training took over. If dead don't waste the bullets. You may need them later. Sam looked at the body and saw the man's brain matter, pieces of skull, and blood all over the floor. She knew he was not going to heal that and then she got sick from the site. She ran to the corner of the room and threw up. After she emptied her stomach of the breakfast she just ate she looked around the room. There was one door and she assumed it led the way out. She put back on her robe and wished she had her clothes. She looked back at the coffin and then her gun. She knew she could open the coffin and kill Cassandra but fear…fear like she had never felt before…gripped her and she did not want to open that box that led to hell and face Cassandra awake or asleep ever again. The vampire showed Sam her power last night and it was terrifying to behold and she also knew that Cassandra had powers even when she slept. She could not explain it but somehow she knew.

Sam opened the door and peaked inside the next room. It was filled with coffins laying in neat straight orderly lines. Great she whispered and started walking to the door at the other end of the large room. She opened that one and it opened into a large dark hall way lit by dim over head lights. She waited a moment and held her breath. When she did not hear anything she walked into the hall way at a quick pace. She fault the urge to run and settled on a quick pace and heard her bare feet slapping against the cold stone of the floor.

Sam walked the long all way life what and eternity. She constantly felt hot breath on the back of her neck of things that weren't there and heard the fall of footsteps of her imagination but other than kicking a few rats out of her way she made it to another door and opened it quietly. She breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized the room they had met in the previous night and the huge double doors on the other side of the room. Sam took her time to look at the rooms surroundings and smiled slightly when she saw the room was empty. Sam started walking across the room and then ran to the double doors and grinned when they opened. She looked up the long corridor and took a deep breath and started walking quickly. Her walk soon turned into a run when she heard growling behind her. The growling of a wolf.

Sam looked over her shoulder as she ran and could make out two glowing eyes behind her and she lifted the gun and fired two shots over her shoulder. The gun blasted so loud in the tight hallway it almost left her deaf. She ran harder and looked over her shoulder again and saw the eyes getting closer and now she could make out the face of a wolf…a very large wolf. The beast growled as it sensed its prey close and was about to spring when Sam fired two more shots behind her and over the blast of the gun she heard an awful howl and whimper. She knew her shots…one at least…hit the beast and she smiled as she ran harder. Sam dropped the gun since she knew it was now empty and cursed herself for not checking Jason's body. He may have had extra ammunition on him. Soon she arrived at the entrance of the corridor and heard more howling and footsteps…paw steps…behind her and she opened the secret door and ran into the blinding light of the sun. She had never been so happy to see the light of day at that moment.

Sam ran and ran when she hit the sidewalks she kept running. Ignoring people she passed she ran as if her life depended on it…and maybe it just did. She did not slow down until she ran into a man who was in a fireman's uniform.

"Hey, girl, slow down…are you ok and why are you wearing a robe? Rough night last night?" The fire man chuckled. He was on his way home from his shift and used to seeing college students doing silly things in this area of town.

Sam threw herself in his arms and started sobbing as she hugged him. "Please…please take me home. I…I just want to go home." She buried her head in his well formed masculine chest and he held her tight.

"Sure, girl, sure…are you ok? Were you attacked?"

Sam laughed at that question but shook her head and calmed herself. "No…just…had a date with a very mean boy and he tried something when we went swimming and stole my clothes after I rejected him. I…I am ok." Sam lied with ease. She was good under pressure.

"Ok…let's get you home." The fireman walked Sam to his car and drove her as she gave him directions. He dropped Sam off and waited until she got inside after she told him he did not need to walk her to the door. _Hell, Henry would probably kill him if he just popped up like that, _Sam thought and walked in her house and let out a long breath as she leaned against the closed front door.

The house seemed quite. Sam walked into the kitchen and smiled when she saw Freddie sitting at the table with his head down. He looked asleep. She watched him for a moment very happy he was safe and then walked over to him and slapped him on the head. He jerked up.

"You stupid…idiotic…stupid dork!" Sam yelled at Freddie. Freddie jumped up and wrapped his arms around Sam in a tight hug.

"Sam…oh God…I…you are alive!" He yelled and Sam hugged him back and started crying again.

"Yeah…I'm alive…are…are you ok?" She asked as she pushed him away.

Freddie nodded and gave her an embarrassed look, "Yeah…but I am so sorry. I…I don't know what happened. The last thing I remember was driving Kelli home from a date and I dropped her off and on my way home I saw this real pretty red head with car trouble and then I am here. That lady…Miriam…told me what happened." Freddie sat down and took Sam's hand. "I am so sorry, Sam…I…I am so sorry."

Sam looked at him and could not be mad at him. First she was so happy he was ok and after a night in that coffin with Cassandra she knew the powers of the vampires mind control. The only mistake Freddie made was being her friend.

Sam looked around the kitchen, "Where is everyone. I know Carly is in the basement…but where are Henry and Miriam…and…and…where is Mei? Is she ok?"

Freddie nodded, "Yeah all of them are ok. The lady…Miriam…is asleep with the girl…or what ever she is…the real pretty one…Mei. The man Henry mentioned something about getting some more toys before he went to go get you. Who is he? He is not very friendly is he?"

Sam chuckled, "Well…I would not try to be his friend, Freddie. Be afraid of him but not his friend."

Freddie laughed, "Well I already figured that out. He scares the shit out of me."

Sam laughed and stood up. "I really need a shower. If he comes back tell him…tell him I am home. I may take a nap. I'm sleepy."

Freddie nodded, "Sam…glad you are ok."

"Well…I am alive…that's something at least." Sam muttered as she walked to her bedroom. She knew that after what she saw and happened to her last night in that coffin she would never be ok…she would always have nightmares of what Cassandra showed her and did to her. No Sam knew she would never be ok.

She made her way to her room and saw Miriam and Mei sleeping on her bed and smiled as she saw the Asian girl curled up against the older woman. It was not a sexual gesture but one of comfort and safety. Sam quietly walked to her bathroom to take a shower. Sure she could have used the one in her mom's room, but she wanted hers. Something that belonged to her and no on else. Sam paused when she saw the picture of her and her sister smiling and being happy with her mom behind them. She sat on the edge of the bed and that woke up Miriam.

"Sam! Ohhh…Sam…we…we thought you…well…" The older lady hugged her and Sam patted her arm. She did not want hugs right now. She wanted to be alone.

"Yeah…I…I got out. I'll tell you about it later…I…I just want a shower and I am kind of hungry."

Miriam nodded and got out of the bed, "Well I'll go cook some breakfast. Mei is out of it for a while. When she changes back she sleeps for about eight or nine hours." Sam nodded and ran her hand through the wereleopard's hair. Mei moaned but did not wake up. When Miriam left the room Sam picked up the picture off her night stand and walked into the bathroom. She closed the door and sank to the floor with her back to the door and looked at the picture. She started to cry and then started sobbing as she held the picture tight to her chest. Memories of what Cassandra showed her last night were fresh in her mind. Memories of what could have been…having Melanie back and having a mother who loved her once more…Sam sobbed and cried in heartbroken pain and knew Freddie was wrong. She would never be ok after last night.


	35. Chapter 35

When Sam finally stopped crying she walked back in her room and placed the picture back on her night stand and was careful not to wake Mei. Sam thought she looked dead to the world and then quickly corrected herself…no don't use that…not dead to the world. I saw death last night. I looked death in the eyes last night and God help me I loved her! She made me love her! Sam walked back into the bathroom and turned on the shower. After she checked the water she got in and started washing her body and scrubbing it extra hard as if to wash away the memories. After Sam washed her hair she put on leg on the edge of the tub and looked at her thigh. She saw a mark like a hickey with two very neat perfect holes that had scabbed up. Sam got her loaf sponge and soaped it up and started scrubbing. She scrubbed the mark so hard it started to bleed again and she felt the pain of rubbing herself raw but she still did not stop. Sam kept scrubbing and scrubbing until the skin started to peel away and it bled more. "Make it go away, God please help me and make it go away! She said you did not exist to me anymore but help me prove her wrong…please God help me and make it go away." Sam kept scrubbing as blood started to mix with the water and finally she could take no more and stooped. She rinsed herself and turned off the shower and got out. Before drying off she put a bandage on her still bleeding sore. It looked as if someone took a steel wool pad and used it against her leg. It hurt but she did not care…she knew worse pain than this. Cassandra showed her what pain truly was last night in the coffin and Sam would never forget it.

Sam walked back in her room and slipped on clean underwear and a pair of loose tan cargo shorts and a tee shirt and walked back to the kitchen. She smelled food and was suddenly hungry again. She was famished and did not know why. She had not desire for food but she was starving. It was a weird feeling. When she walked into the kitchen she saw Freddie sitting in a chair he pulled into a corner and the she knew why. Henry was at the table looking at something. They looked like canisters of hair spray or something but she knew they weren't not with Henry. Sam knew if he had them they were something used to kill. Sam glanced at Miriam who was fixing her a large plate of eggs, pancakes, and bacon. It looked wonderful. Sam sat at the table and gave Henry a shy smile.

"Well, hey…glad to see me?" She asked with a fake cheerful voice.

Henry just looked at her as he put on of the small canisters down on the table, "Incinerary grenades. They go off and explode white phosphorus all over the pace. White phosphorus even burns in water. Makes a hell of a mess on the vamps; they go up like kindling."

Sam shrugged, "Well nice to see you too."

Henry ignored her and looked at her hard, "Did she bite you, Sam?"

Sam shook her head, "No…no she didn't? Why…what would have happened if she did?"

"We would have to purify it with holy water. If not she can call to you and control you…make you come back to her."

"Oh…well…yes…yes she fucking bit me! God…please, Henry, please help me. Don't let her get me again…please don't let her get me again. You were right…it would have been better to die than let her have me." Sam begged as she laid her head on the table and started crying again.

Henry nodded and touched Sam gently on the arm, "We'll fix it, Sam, we'll take care of it. I told you last night they all die and I always keep my word." He turned to Freddie. "Boy, go to my car and in the truck is a black bag. Bring it here." He said and tossed Freddie his keys. Freddie nodded and ran to the car. Henry looked back at Sam.

"Where did she bite you?" He asked.

Sam swallowed hard, "Umm…on…on my thigh…near my…well…you know." She was embarrassed now but Henry just nodded his understanding and looked at Miriam.

"I think the bathroom would be best. Have you ever done this?"

Miriam nodded, "Yes once…why?"

Henry gave Sam a small smile, "It would be easier for another woman to do this where she was bit. I'll hold her upper body and the boy can hold her legs."

Miriam nodded and looked at Sam sadly. "Agreed."

Sam's eyes flashed between Miriam and Henry, "What do you mean hold me down…it's just water right…I mean holy water…do I drink it or what?"

Henry shook his head, "No…we pour it on the bit marks…it stings a little."

Freddie came back carrying the bag and handed it to Henry. Henry took it and gently grabbed Sam. "It is best you don't eat first…don't want you getting sick. Come on."

Sam swallowed hard and got up and followed Henry to her mother's bathroom. Miriam motioned Freddie to follow them. Once in the bathroom Henry opened the black gym bag and she saw it contained some wooden crosses, a rubber mallet, a large sharp curved knife that was about a yard long, and in small padded slots on the side were small vials of a clear liquid Sam assumed was the holy water. Henry set out four vials of the holy water on the sink counter. Sam swallowed and for some reason she did not think this was going to be easy. She was beginning to learn anything with vampires and lycanthropes was never easy.

"Umm…the stakes and shit…I thought you said if you can shoot a vampire enough in the heart with silver bullets to destroy the heart completely it can kill it…or to blow it's head off. You told me a shotgun works best. Why the stakes?" Sam asked. She was stalling knowing something bad was about to happen and it was going to happen to her.

Henry gave her a cold smile, "Yeah…but sometimes I like to be old fashion…more of a challenge. And it is always best to cut out the heart and cut off the head. For an old vampire like Cassandra I would also recommend burning her heart, head, and body separately and spreading the ashes in different bodies of running water like a river…just to be on the safe side." Sam nodded and Henry gave her a grin, "Ok…strip…just to your underwear and get in the tub." Sam shook her head and looked at Freddie.

"Umm…no not with him in here…you I can handle…him not." Sam replied.

Henry sighed, "Sam, we don't have time for modesty. This needs to be done. Either strip or I do it for you."

Sam knew he meant it and took off her shorts and gave Freddie a look as the boy eyed her in her tight panties. "You say one word, Freddie, and I swear I will cut out your heart and cut off you head and spread your ashes in a river."

Freddie grinned, "Umm…yeah sorry…just never noticed you had such a nice ass…very nice."

Sam gave him the finger and got it the tub. Henry decided to hold Sam's legs since he did not want to give Freddie more of a view than he already got and motioned Freddie to sit in the tub so Sam could lay her head on his lap and he would be able to hold her down. Miriam kneeled on the outside of the tub and smiled at Sam asking permission to spread her legs so she can look at the bites. Sam nodded and Miriam removed the bandage as Sam spread her legs a little.

"God, Sam…what did you do to yourself?" Miriam asked as she saw the sore.

Sam shrugged, "I wanted it clean."

She looked at Henry as she held a vial of the blessed water and he gripped her legs tight. "Hold her boy…hold her tight."

"Umm…ok you said sting a little…why all the holding me down and shit?"

Henry smiled, "Yeah…it going to sting…like putting sulfuric acid on it."

Sam's eyes grew wide. "No…no fucking way!" She glared at Henry, "You are going to enjoy this aren't you….you cold hearted bastard?"

Henry shrugged, "It won't bother me."

Sam rolled her eyes, "You are a sociopath…you know that?"

Henry gave her another cold smile, "It helps in my work."

He nodded to Miriam and the witch started to pour the holy water on Sam's bite. Sam screamed as the bite marks started to sizzle and bubble and she thrashed about but Freddie and Henry held her tight. She screamed and cursed and called all three of them every name she could think of and then some she made up. After two vials and several breaks Henry told Miriam that was enough when the bite marks stopped burning and sizzling as they became cleansed. Sam lay in the tub panting as tears ran down her face from the pain and after a while Henry helped her up and Miriam helped her get dressed.

"It will leave a scar…sorry but it can't be helped." Henry said.

Sam shrugged, "As long as it keeps that bitch from getting me I don't care if you had to chop my leg off." She then looked at Miriam. "I'm hungry." She smiled. She still had that famished feeling and felt like she needed to eat or she would starve. Miriam smiled and Freddie laughed as they made their way to the kitchen…Sam leaning on Freddie's shoulder as she had a slight limp. Henry cleaned up his belongings and followed them.

As she ate Sam told them how she escaped and even killing Jason and maybe another werewolf. She told them the story starting of when she got out of the coffin. She was not going to tell them about her night in that hellish box with Cassandra and they did not ask. She also left out the part of her begging not to be taken away from the vampire. When she was done Henry looked at her with his cold calculating look.

"So when you killed the man…Jason…how did it feel?"

Sam shrugged, "I…I don't know…like nothing…I mean it was either kill him or go back in the coffin and there was no fucking way I was going back in that coffin. Why? Does it make a difference?"

Henry shook his head, "No…none at all. You did the right thing." He told Sam but his thoughts were how professional she had behaved. Most people even under the stress and fear Sam felt would have had some remorse about killing even if it was in self defense but Sam did not show it and that was good. To Henry that meant she was a shooter and could be trusted when they went back in there to finish the job, and maybe with more training and experience she would survive the life that she had been thrust into. Knowing the existence of vampires, werewolves, and other preternatural creatures was not easy or a human.

Sam picked up one of the grenades. "So…how do things babies work?"

Henry grinned and started his lessons again. He told her how they work, which Sam thought was pretty simple…pull the pin, throw, and make sure you are within a safe distance, and five seconds later boom…toasted vampire on the menu. Sam yawned and felt suddenly sleepy and decided to take a nap. It was only a little after noon and they were not doing any vampire killing today. They would hold out tonight…keep watch…and tomorrow they would go back in and kill the bastards. Plus Henry said more backup was coming tonight. Great, Sam thought, more cold blooded killers in her house. She asked Henry if it was a friend of his and he gave her an odd look like he did not understand the concept of friends. He just shook his head and told her no but he would watch their backs and could be trusted to do his job.

Sam lay down in her mother's bed and soon drifted off to sleep and suddenly found herself in a large room…no much more than a room...it was like she was in a palace. She glanced around and saw spread in even intervals along the walls were soldiers dressed in uniforms forgotten for thousands of years. They wore what looked like blue skirts that came to their knees and on their legs were greaves made of polished bronze. On their upper bodies they wore bronze breast plates engraved with scenes of horses running in the fields. Each soldiers had a sword at their hips and a spear in one arm and a large wicker and leather shield in the other. None of them looked at her. They just stared straight ahead. Sam looked around the room some more and saw giant pillars plated with gold and the floors and walls were made of carved marble. All engraved of scenes of the heroic deeds of forgotten heroes and gods. Sam looked at he front of the palace and saw a huge throne inlayed with gold and jewels. It looked vaguely familiar to her. On the throne sat an aged man who while old seemed to have strength and wisdom flowing through him. Standing at his side were two men. On his right was a tall man and very handsome and wearing the uniform similar to the guards standing along the walls but it seemed more ornate. He was very well built and carried in him strength and Sam knew just by his looks there stood a warrior, a killer of men, a prince among his people. On the left stood another man who looked like the warrior, enough so Sam knew they were brothers, but he looked less imposing and more handsome than the other one…no not handsome…pretty. Sam thought he was pretty with a beautiful face. He looked like a prince also but not as much as his brother. Instead of arms of war he wore a long blue skirt and a loose fitting shirt and both were richly made and in his hand he held a bow. All three ignored Sam even through she was no less than twenty feet from her. She looked down and saw she was dressed in a very ornate toga made of very fine material and intermixed with blue and white. She heard footsteps behind her and she turned. When she saw the figure behind her she screamed.

Cassandra laughed at her and Sam saw she too was wearing a toga similar to hers. She had her long auburn hair piled on top of her head and gems sparkled throughout her hair. "Please, Samantha, do you have to scream…I am not going to harm you…here." Cassandra teased.

"What…what do you want? I…I cleansed the bites…you…you can't be here…you can't get me now." Sam said in a pleading voice.

Cassandra walked up and touched her cheek and Sam wanted to flinch…wanted to run…but her eyes locked on to Cassandra's and she could not move. "Do you know where we are Samantha?" Sam shook her head, "We are home…my home. This is the palace of the greatest city in the world. This is the palace of the city of Troy. Look at its glory, Samantha, see its wonders." Cassandra spread her arms and laughed.

"Why…why did you bring me here?" Sam asked and again Cassandra laughed.

"I did not bring you here, Sam. This is my dream not yours. You invaded my dream…I should be very cross at you but I am not." She smiled sweetly and kissed Sam on the cheek and then held out her hand. "You must take my hand, Samantha, for I am of royal blood. I am the daughter of King Priam of Troy and a princess. Take my hand and walk with me." Sam reached out against her will and held Cassandra's hand. Cassandra smiled and pointed to the throne. Sam now knew where she had seen it. It was the same throne Cassandra was sitting on the night they met.

"See those men, Sam. See how proud they are. How strong. How noble. My father King Priam and my brothers. On his right is the Mighty Hector the Tamer of horses. On his left the beautiful Paris…the man who wooed the lovely Helen. This was a happy time for us, Samantha. This was before the barbaric Greeks came and destroyed my beloved home. Before my loving brother was murdered by that brute Achilles…I loved Hector, Samantha. He was my favorite and I was his." Cassandra looked sad as she walked Sam through the palace. Sam was afraid…terrified…but she knew better than to interrupt Cassandra. "I warned them, Samantha, I told them when my foolish brother brought that bitch Helen here…I warned them the Greeks would come and destroy us all. I told them to kill her or to send her back but my father would hear none of it. He thought me crazy and locked me up." Sam looked at Cassandra and noticed something different about her. She looked…human and more like a beautiful fourteen year old girl than a three thousand year old vampire. Cassandra laughed.

"You see me as how I was, Samantha. Like I told you this is my dream. But do not be fooled girl…I still have my power even here."

"How…how did…did I get into your dream." Sam dared to ask.

Cassandra laughed, "Because I marked you, Samantha, and I don't mean that silly bite…which was very pleasurable by the way." Cassandra stopped and ran her hand through Sam's long blonde hair, "You were very pleasurable as well, Samantha. I can see why Julia likes you so. I hope I got to return the pleasure for you."

Sam knocked Cassandra's hand from her hair. "Stop it! You know I…I did not want that. You made me…you made me do that to you and made me enjoy it!"

Cassandra gave Sam a cold look, "Well that was not very nice to say to me, Samantha." She then squeezed Sam's hand and Sam screamed in pain as she fell to her knees.

"You see, Samantha, you will bow down before me. You will bow down before Cassandra the Princess of Troy. Cassandra your Mistress! I have marked you, girl, I have given you the first mark to be my human servant." Sam suddenly remembered the two fiery blue orbs that burned into her eyes. "You can enter my dreams and I can enter yours. I own you, girl. I will own you for all eternity!" Sam looked up at Cassandra and saw the girl's evil smile and then her fangs. The vampire had returned and Sam became terrified.

"No…please…no…don't…don't do this to me…please don't do this to me!" Sam begged and Cassandra laughed and the sound was pure evil like the sounds the demons in hell would make.

**Another short chapter but I needed a cliff hanger so to speak for the next chapter to see what happens to our poor lovely Sam.**


	36. Chapter 36

Sam was on her knees screaming in terror as Cassandra laughed at her…mocked her and tormented her while she was stuck in the vampires dream and she saw no escape. Cassandra reached down and ran her hands seductively through Sam's long blonde hair and Sam wanted to run…she wanted to stand up and run from this girl who she now knew owned her soul, but she could not escape her; she could never escape her. Sam screamed again but this time in pain as Cassandra grabbed her hair and pulled her head back hard.

"Would you like to see some of my other dreams, Samantha? Would you like to know what else I dream?" Cassandra asked with an evil smile.

Sam shook her head as best she could with Cassandra holding it…hurting her, "N…no…please no. I…I…saw them last night…please don't do this to…to me anymore…please." Sam begged as tears ran down her cheeks.

Cassandra leaned down and whispered in Sam's ear, "Why, Samantha, I think you are being rude. It makes me sad you do not want to know what else I dream…makes me very sad." She said as a child who did not get what she wanted for her birthday.

"Oh…God…please no…I…I can't…I can't…please leave me alone…I'll do anything for you…anything…please…I'll give you anything you want! I…I can't take it anymore!" Sam pleaded in her terror.

Cassandra let go of Sam's hair and laughed, "Of course you will give me anything I want, Samantha, I am your Mistress…you owner…you will give me all I want. You will give me all I desire from you for all eternity, Samantha!" Her laugh once again turned evil and her face became evil and terrifying and so beautiful…always so beautiful even in her horror.

Sam suddenly woke up in a cold sweat and screamed. Her heart was beating fast and her breathing was coming in short deep breaths. She looked around and saw herself in her mother's room and looked at the clock and saw she had been asleep for almost two hours. Just two hours and she came to me…oh God…I'll never sleep again…I can never go to sleep again! Sam screamed in her head. She looked up as her bedroom door flew open and Freddie walked in.

"Sam, you ok? I heard you screaming." He asked in a panicked voice.

Sam nodded her head, "Yeah…just…just a bad dream. Is Henry here? I…I need to talk to him." Sam asked. She needed to understand what Cassandra meant by marking her and how she can fix it. She glanced around the room and saw her gun and holster hanging on the bed post, Henry must have put it there she thought, and her cross laying on the night stand and wondered why she was not wearing it. She needed to wear it…to put it on. Sam shook her head, I'll get it later…need to talk to Freddie first…need Henry.

Freddie shook his head, "No he went to meet someone and said he would be back later and Miriam said she had to do something as well but wouldn't say what it was. The girl…Mei…is still asleep and Carly is as well for course."

Sam nodded, she did not want Carly…Carly was one of them…Carly was like Cassandra. Cassandra had shown her last night what Carly was…she had shown Sam what Carly truly was and the terrible horrible things the vampire she loved had committed and they frightened Sam and right now she did not want to see Carly. She was glad Carly was asleep. She looked at Freddie and smiled.

"Freddie…come…sit next to me." Sam told the boy.

Freddie nodded and walked over to Sam and sat down next to her. Sam looked at him and smiled somewhat shyly and even…seductively? Freddie thought.

"Freddie…I…hold me, please…I had a terrible dream." Sam whispered in a girl like voice. Freddie thought it was very un-Sam like. It held two things Freddie never heard from Sam before. It held fear and it held a hint of lust.

Freddie put his arm around Sam and pulled her close to him. Not to tight but in a brotherly fashion, "Sure, Sam, I…I will hold you. Are you sure you're ok?"

Sam nodded and snuggled closer, "Yes I am fine." Sam looked up at Freddie's face and smiled, "I never realized how cute you are, Freddie." Sam lifted her hand and caressed the boys face. "So cute…kiss me, Freddie." Sam whispered with desire.

Freddie pulled back, "Sam…what…what are you doing? This…you are just upset. I'll…I'll go get you some water or something."

Sam laughed and Freddie thought the laugh did not sound like Sam. It was different and full of dark promises and desires. "No…look at me Freddie…am I not pretty? I know you want me, Freddie…I can tell." Sam whispered again and it sent chills over Freddie's body.

Freddie looked into Sam's eye, "Yes…you are pretty. I…I always thought you were…but this is not right, Sam…Sam…your eyes…they…they are green. You don't have green eyes."

"Hush, Freddie, and kiss me. I want you…I want to fell your body pressed to mine. I want to feel your kiss. I want to give you pleasure. I want to fell you inside me." Sam whispered and smiled when she saw the pupils of Freddie's eyes grow wide and she knew she had him…she knew he was trapped and he would do whatever she asked of him.

Freddie leaned in, "Yes…I want you! I want you so bad!" Freddie's lips crashed into Sam's and as they kissed she opened her mouth and allowed his tongue to enter her parted lips and he pushed to down to the bed and roughly and climbed on top of her. Sam laid back on the bed and spread her legs as they kissed to allow the boys body to press against her. Sam broke the kiss and started kissing Freddie's neck and the boy moaned in pleasure as Sam found the hard beating pulse of his neck. She kissed it and sucked and at wanted to bite it. She wanted to feel the blood rush over her mouth and to drink the sweet copper tasting blood and let it flow into her and nourish her. She bit him and he let out a gasp on pain and pleasure as her teeth broke his skin just a little and she licked the wonderful blood and felt Freddie shudder in pleasure. Sam laughed and rolled Freddie over on his back and continued to lick the sweet blood from his neck.

"Oh…God…Sam…please…please fuck me!" Freddie begged and Sam looked up into his eyes and smiled.

"Yesss…but I will give you such pleasure first." Sam hissed in an unearthly voice as she pulled Freddie's shirt over his head and ran her lips down his body and kissed and sucked his hardening nipples. He squirmed and groaned in pleasure as Sam kissed down his body and paused at his waist. She looked up into his eyes and smiled as she unbuckled his pants and pulled them down along with his underwear. The boy's already erect penis seemed to pop out and Sam took it in her hand and gently caressed it and smiled as Freddie moaned and thrust his hips forward. Sam teased it with her hand for a moment and then lowered her parted lips and took the boy in her mouth. Freddie gasped in pleasure as his hand reached down and he tangled it in Sam's long hair.

"Yes…oh yes…that…that feels great…don't stop…please…" Freddie begged in his desire.

Sam worked the boy with her mouth and hands as she felt the desire build in her. She wanted to feel him in her mouth more and more and then between her legs. She felt herself get wet between her legs and her clit started to throb as she worked the boy and gave him pleasure.

"Sam! I heard that…oh shit! I…sorry…" Sam looked up and saw Mei standing at the door wearing an old tee shirt and nothing else. Her face was flushed with embarrassment at walking in on the scene. She started to back out of the room when she suddenly stopped.

"Waaait!" Sam hissed as she looked at Mei. Mei looked into Sam's eyes and froze. Sam got off the bed and walked over to Mei and ran her hand through the girl's long straight silky black hair. As with Freddie her pupils we wide as she was caught in Sam's gaze and she could not move or resist Sam.

"So lovely…so beautiful." Sam whispered and pulled Mei's shirt over her head. Sam bent down and kissed Mei as her hands ran over the girl's small perky breasts and started to tease her almost black nipples. Mei moaned and pushed herself tight against Sam body. Sam pulled back and laughed as she grabbed the girl's hand and led her to the bed.

"Help me…help me please him and you will also please me." Sam whispered in her ear and Mei let out a moan of pleasure. Sam lay the girl on the bed between Freddie's legs and guided Mei's mouth to Freddie's penis. Mei took the boy in her mouth as Sam placed a hand on the back of her head and pushed her down harder. Mei gasped and choked as Sam laughed and just kept pushing Mei up and down hard on Freddie's erect manhood. Freddie started moaning and thrusting his hips to meet Mei's rhythm. Sam stood and removed her shirt and panties and positioned her body next to Freddie's and kissed him deep and passionate as she took one of his hands and guided him inside her. She gasped at the pleasure and her hips thrust to meet his fingers and Sam threw her head back and moaned.

A long time later Sam lay on the bed her body spent with Mei curled up next to her and Freddie on the other side of Mei snuggling the Asian girl tight. Both were asleep and Sam tried to scream as she heard laughter in her head…Cassandra's laughter but no sound came out of her mouth. Things Sam did came rushing back to her…everything she did…they did. Her having sex with Freddie, Freddie having sex with Mei, Sam having sex with Mei…the details and even the pleasures rushed in her head like a dream…no a nightmare…as Cassandra's laugh filled her mind.

"See, Samantha, I own you. I can control you while I sleep and while I am awake. Do you think my powers are weak when I rest…do you think you can ever escape me? Come back to me, Samantha, come back to me or I will control you again and make you do this and more…oh so much more…come home, Samantha." Cassandra laughed again and this time Sam was able to scream and she did. One long drawn out scream of fear and despair and lost hope.

Sam felt Mei and Freddie wake suddenly and she could not face them after what she was made to do when Cassandra took over her mind and body. She jumped from the bed and ran into the bathroom, locked the door, and turned on the shower. She wanted clean…she wanted to wash everything off her body. Sam scrubbed and washed and then sat in the corner of the shower and cried as the water ran over her. Sam curled up in the shower and sobbed and did not move even when the hot water ran out and her naked body was pelted with the cold. She was shivering from the cold and had her knees drawn up to her chin and had her head buried against her knees and she finally looked up when she felt the water stop hitting her body. She saw Mei standing kneeling on the outside of the tub still naked also.

"Sam…Sam…please, baby, you need to get out. You are freezing." Mei tried to grab Sam but the blonde jerked away.

"No…please…leave me alone…I…just leave me alone and let…let me die!" Sam screamed and Mei got up and crawled in the tub and wrapped her hands around Sam. At first Sam resisted and struggled but Mei's wereleopard strength was too much and she finally collapsed into the Asian girl's small delicate but strong arms and started sobbing.

"It…it wasn't me…Oh God, Mei, I swear it wasn't me…please…please believe that!" Sam cried out and Mei rocked her.

"I know, baby, I know…it wasn't any of us…she…she controlled you and made you control us…shhh…it's ok, Sam…we'll help you…we will all help you like you helped us last night." Mei soothed Sam with words as she hugged the girl tight. After a while she wrapped Sam in a towel and walked her back into the bedroom.

"Where…where is Freddie…oh God…Freddie…what have I done…what have I do to him and you…to all of you." Sam cried out as Mei lay her on the bed. Sam did notice someone…most likely Mei…did change the sheets and thought that was kind and tactful of her.

"He…well…he left. He got scared and well…ashamed if what he did. He was very embarrassed and left."

Sam nodded and was glad. She did not know how she was ever going to face Freddie again after this and she was also glad he left to get out of danger. She hoped he ran far away to get away from her. Sam lay under the sheets naked and felt Mei press her naked body against her and she welcomed the warmth of her skin.

"Why…why aren't you…well…ashamed?" Sam asked

Mei giggled as she spooned Sam and ran her hands over Sam's body not in a sexual gesture but to warm the girl's cold skin. "Well…let's just say that was not the first time I have been in that situation…through normally it is me and two other girls. I have not had a man on a while…now I realized I missed it."

Sam shook her head, "How…how can you joke, Mei…after what I did…after what I made you…both of you do?"

"Yes…I am sorry…I…was just trying to make it easier for you. It was not you, Sam…I know it and Freddie knows it. He even said before he left that he knew it was not you by the color of your eyes but he could not resist."

Sam pressed her back tighter against Mei, "I…I want it all to end, Mei…I…I wish Henry would have killed me last night. She…she did things to me and made me enjoy it. She…she showed me things…terrible awful…painful things and it was like I was doing them or…or feeling them…oh God why can't I just die!"

"Shhh…no, Sam, please don't say that…please. I…I felt the same way after my attack. When I found out what I had become. I know it is not the same but I also know what it is like to have something control you. I…I tried to kill myself over and over. I would slit my wrists but they kept healing. I took pills but our metabolisms are faster and they would make me sleep but not kill me. I wanted to die after what I became. I thought how could I tell my family…what would they do and how would they react. Would they think I was crazy and lock me up in a mental hospital and then what? I would change and kill people. They still…they still don't know. Then Drake came to me and introduced me to the pard and I felt at home…so at home and they helped me, Sam. They helped me as my friends. Just like we will help you…we are your friends. Please know that and trust us. Even Henry through her won't admit it. He will kill for you and for what was done to you. At first it was revenge for himself he wanted, but after last night I saw him…I can remember things when I change and I saw the look in his eyes and he wanted to kill…to kill for revenge for you. And even Carly…she…I saw a side of her that was…well…she was heartbroken for what happened to you. We will help you, Sam. Please trust us."

Sam wiped her eyes, "There…there is no hope for me, Mei…I…I saw it. And…and Carly is one of them. Cassandra showed me what she did and how evil she is."

Mei hugged Sam tight, "Shhh…just rest, Sam, just rest and get some sleep."

Sam's body tightened, "No…no…I…I can't sleep…she…she will come to me again and…I…I can't take it again…please don't let me sleep, Mei…please keep me awake." Sam begged.

Mei smiled sadly, "Ok, Sam, I will keep you awake."

Mei talked to Sam about school her home and family in North Carolina and about boy friends and girl friends and her life in high school as she tried to keep Sam awake. Sam would even giggle or chuckle at some of Mei' stories but sleep eventually took her and she dreamed but it was not a nightmare of Cassandra. Sam had a pleasant dream of her and Melanie and her mom and how things used to be. It was a nice dream that made Sam happy and she slept peacefully as Mei held her.

Sam awoke suddenly when the bedroom door flew open and she looked up and saw Carly standing in the doorway looking so beautiful in a simple plaid skirt and black tee shirt. She was grinning as she looked at Sam and had such a happy look on her face Sam did not understand how this girl who showed her so much love could ever be evil.

"Sam! Oh thank the heavens you are ok! Ohhh Sam, I was so worried! I was so frightened for you and I…." Carly's grin suddenly vanished as she saw Mei stir and unwrap her arms from Sam and look at Carly. Carly saw both girls were naked. Carly's face changed from happy to angry and evil.

"You…you, bitch! I warned you, cat! I warned you what I would do to you if you persisted on this matter! I warned you, whore!" Carly screamed at Mei and her voice held so much hate it sent a chill up Sam's spine.

"Carly…no! Please…you don't understand!" Sam yelled out.

Carly ignored her and as Mei tried to get out of the bed she was suddenly thrown across the room and smashed into the large chest of drawers and the mirror on top shattered and fell on top of her. Carly made no dramatic hand gestures of magic or other such nonsense she just looked at Mei and used her mind to throw the girl across the room. Mei looked at Carly in fear.

"Please, Carly…please it is not what you think…please…" Mei's words were cut short as she let out an awful scream.

"I warned you, whore! I warned you what would happen. I told you I knew your worst nightmare and now you will live it over and over until it drives you mad! Until you beg for your death!"

Mei screamed again, "No…please not that…please noooo! Help me, Sam…oh God please don't let her do this to me! You…you are my protector, Sam…please help meeee…" Mei screamed and curled up on the floor as her mind relived her most terrible nightmare. It was not when she was attacked and infected it was much worse. It was when she lost her family…her pard.

It was the night of the full moon and her pard gathered in its meeting place as it did every month. The pard was small with only twelve wereleopards but they were a proud and noble pard and they were a family. There was no bickering for strength or the constant struggle for power like there was in other larger lycanthrope groups like the wolves. They were a family and their Nimir-Raj was their father and he protected them. Mei was the newest member of the pard and they took her in with kindness and love. She never felt such love as she did with them. Even her human family who did love her and her them could not compare to the feeling she got when she was around the pard…her people. She was as submissive and needed a dominant to protect her and also to teach her because she was new. The Nimir-Raj bound her to Drake. Drake was the second strongest behind their king and he was kind and caring and treated Mei like a daughter and she looked at him like a father and they were closer still since they were bound. She loved Drake above all others in her family of wereleopards.

Their king told them he rejected the wolves' Ulfric's demands to form a single alliance of lycanthropes with him as the leader. He told them to be cautious. Their king told them he heard the wererat's king also rejected Mathew's attempts at an alliance but the rats were strong and their king Maurice was not afraid of the wolves. Maurice was a good king and ran his Rodre (the pack) like a military group and he could handle the wolves. Mei's king told them he was working on an alliance with the rats and it would soon become complete and soon they would be safe from the wolves but in the meantime they had to be careful. So they kept in groups in their everyday lives and Mei stayed with Drake so he would protect her. Then the full moon came and they would all change and their Nimir-Raj would lead them on a great hunt in the woods far from the city and he would feed his people on the delicious sweet meat and blood of deer and other prey.

The gathering was a special occasion filled with ceremony and laughs and closeness of family. They would change at midnight and then hunt. It was going well until the wolves attacked. There were so many and Mei saw her king…her Nimir-raj murdered after he killed three wolves but there were just too many and they overpowered him. Mei stood there in shock and fear as Drake grabbed her and half dragged her and half carried her through the woods. Mei was screaming in fear as her protector…her "father" carried her. Then she heard the howls of the wolves and knew they were close and following them. After they ran for a period of time Drake set her down and hugged her tight.

"I love you, Mei…as much as I would a daughter." He whispered as he hugged her and let her go. "You must change…release the beast Mei. You cannot out run them in human form. Change and run…run and go to the witch Miriam…you know where she lives. Hurry!"

Mei stared at him with tears in her eyes and grabbed him again, "Nooo…I…I won't leave you…please Drake…please nooo!" She screamed and he pushed her away again. Mei saw he now had changed. He changed into his half human and half leopard form and she knew he was going to fight. He was going to protect her as he was bound to do and he was going to die so she could live. Mei screamed and pleaded with Drake as he turned and ran back to the wolves. Mei snuck close and saw him fight and he fought well and with strength as the wolves attacked. She felt pride…oh such pride when she saw him fight. He was strong and brave and terrible to behold in his power. He killed five wolves even as he was wounded and could barely stand but still he fought to save her. Mei stifled a scream when she saw the killing blow. A giant of a half man half wolf with blood already on his mouth and his claws stalked forward and pushed the lesser wolves aside. He walked to Drake who was on his knees and Mei saw Drake lash out with his claws but he was too wounded…to hurt to have much power behind his strike. The giant half wolf grabbed that arm and bent it up and Mei could hear the bones crack but still Drake did not cry out. The wolf picked Drake up by his neck with one hand and brought him to eye level. Drake spit in the wolf's face and then the wolf buried his jaws into Drake's neck. Mei knew her protector and the man she loved as a father was dead at the hands of the wolves' Ulfric. She cried as she ran and then changed into her leopard form and ran and ran to the witch Miriam her heart broken as she lost her family.

As Mei lay curled up on the floor whimpering with tears running down her eyes Sam looked at Carly. "Stop it! Leave her alone!" She yelled at Carly and ran over and pulled her gun from it's holster and pointed it at Carly.

"Carly, leave her alone. Stop it or…or…I swear I will shoot you!" Sam screamed.

Carly turned to Sam and for the first time since she met Carly Sam felt the vampire's power unleashed. Carly's eyes seemed to burn like a black soulless fire and her hair was whipping around her face with unfelt wind. Sam felt more than saw Carly's power as her skin tingled and her bones seemed to ache with the shear weight of the vampire's unleashed force and she became cold…so very cold as if she was laying naked in the snow. Carly did not look like the beautiful seventeen year old girl Sam had fell in love with instead she looked terrible and haunting and so lovely in her evil.

"You…you chose her over me? You dare to choose that…that thing over me!?" Carly hissed in her anger and the sound of her voice made Sam feel sick and her skin crawl with tiny insects biting her.

"I…I am not choosing anyone! You…you don't understand…you…you always assume the worst but that…that is who you are. She showed me! Cassandra showed me who you are last night in her fucking coffin, Carly. She showed and made me feel so many things and…and made me do things to her and she did things to me…and…and God help me I loved it…I loved her…but of all the pain she showed me and made me feel what hurt worse was what she showed me about you, Carly. She showed me you are just like her! You are evil and…and just like her! Now let her go or I will shoot you!"

Carly laughed and she rose off the ground as her hair whipped around her harder, "You gun cannot kill me, Sam, not before I kill you and your whore!" Her laugh made Sam stagger back from its power and evil.

Sam shook her head, "Maybe not…but it is loaded with silver bullets and…but it damn sure will hurt and…and if I shoot you in the head a couple of time it will kill you also. Now let her go!"

Carly threw her hand up and Sam went flying in the air and her back slammed into the wall and she fell to the ground on her knees and her gun fell from her hands. She looked up at Carly and knew the vampire would kill her now.

"Take your pathetic whore then…I should have known better than to love you…a stupid human!" Carly yelled and quickly ran from the room and from the house.

Sam crawled to Mei who was still on the floor whimpering and Sam held her in her arms. "Mei…Mei…are you ok?" She asked in a gentle voice.

Mei looked up, "Sam…oh Sam, it…it…oh God…it was awful…it was like…like it was happening over and over again…" Mei placed her head against Sam's chest and started sobbing and then Sam started crying.

"Oh God…what have I done…why…why…what have I done!" She cried out. She was crying because Carly left her. She was terrified of Carly at that moment but she loved her…she still loved Carly and now she was gone and never coming back and it was all her fault. She did not regret protecting Mei…she would have done that over again…but she knew everything was her fault because Cassandra had her…Cassandra owned her body and soul.

Henry and Miriam ran into the room as Sam held the crying Mei. Sam looked up and saw Henry had his gun drawn as Miriam fell to her knees next to Mei and tried to pull her away from Sam but the Asian girl shook her off and clutched her blonde haired protector harder. Behind Henry stood another man Sam knew must be the "backup" Henry mentioned. He was very tall and large. She stood about six five and his muscles showed tight against his shirt but Sam gave him just a glance as she made eyes contact with Henry.

"Why…why didn't you kill me? Why didn't you kill me last night, Henry…oh God why!?" You promised you would kill me! You promised the monsters would not get me, Henry! You promised_ SHE_ would not get me and she did…she still has me! Oh God…please…please kill me!" Sam screamed in a voice strained and cracking with emotion and Henry heard the pleading and begging in the girl's voice. Sam would rather die than let Cassandra have her again.

"I tried, Sam. I am sorry I failed you but I did try." He said in his cold professional voice. "Tell me, Sam…you need to tell me how she has you. You forgot the first part of rule number one is 'if you cannot save the humans from the monsters' I am going to save you from her but I need to know what she did to you. You have to tell me." Henry dropped next to Sam and wrapped her naked body in a sheet from the bed.

Sam looked up with tears running down her cheeks, "She…she told me she marked me. Gave me…the…the first mark…what ever that means. I…I can see her in her dreams and…and she can control my mind and make me do things…so…so you have to kill me before I…I get all of you killed…before she comes to me again…please, Henry…please…don't let her get me again."

"We need to kill the vampire, Henry, if we are to save the girl here. Either that or we kill the girl." The large man said in a deep voice. Sam looked at him and saw his eyes. They were black and emotionless. They reminded Sam of the eyes of a shark when she would watch Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. Black, cold, lifeless…like a doll's eyes. Sam did not like him and was scared of him.

Henry turned his head, "Leave us, Victor, go into the kitchen and wait. We go after the vampire first and then if we don't get her we do Sam. But first we try the vampire."

"It's is your party, _Reaper_." The man Victor said as he left the room. Sam could hear scorn in his voice as he said Henry's nickname but also fear. The large man feared Henry. Sam briefly thought why not? Even the monsters feared Henry.

Henry grabbed Sam and shook her gently, "Listen to me, Sam; with the first mark she had more control on you when she sleeps. Awake she does not have that much control over you…and wear your cross. If you wear the cross the first mark becomes weak and she can't enter your dreams or your mind. We will go get her tomorrow…tomorrow we will kill the bitch, Sam. You and I."

Sam shook her head as she let go of Mei and hugged Henry tight, "No…please don't make me go. I…I can't go back there…I can't face her again…please don't make me." Sam begged in a quite voice. Mei crawled wrapped her arms around Sam and for a moment the Sam hated her. Hated her because it was her fault Carly left.

"Sam…remember we will help you. You friends…we will be with you. I…I will go back with you." Mei whispered in her ear and Sam nodded as Miriam got Sam's cross and placed it around the blonde girl's neck.


	37. Chapter 37

**A kind of short chapter leading up to…wait for it…the finale!**

Carly left Sam's house and walked deep in thought. Sam had betrayed her and had sex with that stupid little beast girl. She was loyal to Sam and was going to give her life last night in a challenge to Cassandra she knew she could not win and how does the human girl repay her? She has runs to the arms of another! I…I almost killed her…oh God I almost killed her like I did Octavia! I love her so much and have not felt this way in such a long time and almost forgot the feeling but…but it can not work! Cassandra was right…I can never love a mortal girl…I can never love again. I was foolish to even think I could or she could love me. I…I am nothing but evil and cursed and I do not deserve love. All I ever do is destroy love. Carly's thoughts ran through her mind over and over as she did not know how long she walked but when she stopped Carly found herself standing in front of a familiar abandoned warehouse. She took a deep breath.

"Well…let's get this over with." She muttered and walked into the warehouse. She saw a man…werewolf in human form…standing next to the hidden door. He grinned at Carly and stood straight and puffed out his chest.

"Well…do you come back to challenge Cassandra again? She will kill you, you undead bitch." Mathew the Ulfric of the werewolf clan sneered and he opened the hidden door.

Carly did not say a word as she walked to him and suddenly her right hand shot out too fast for the eye to see and she grabbed the werewolf by the throat and lifted him off the ground. He was gasping for breath and his legs were kicking as he tried to pry Carly's grip from his throat but she was to strong. He was much taller than the vampire girl and she had to actually levitate herself off the ground to lift him of his feet. Carly slammed him against the wall as her fingers dug deeper into his throat and blood started to ooze over her fingers.

"You look upon you death, animal. When I talk to Cassandra I will come back for you and my face will be the last one you see. Do not mistake me for weak after last night. Never mistake me for weak! Do you know who I was for her…what I did for your mistress? I was her doer of evil deeds, animal. I did horrible and terrible things for her of such evil that the council had me exiled from the city of my birth for three thousand years because even they feared the things I did and how I killed. They told me I left too bloody of a mess behind after I made my kills and risked being exposed." Carly dropped the man to the ground and he lay there gasping for breath and for the first time since he saw her he feared her. Carly leaned down close and licked his blood off her hands with relish and leaned in close to his ears. "And I am home, wolf. Julia has come home so beware."

Carly laughed and started walking down the long hallway and when she came to the double door she pushed them open with all her strength and was a little surprised they did not break but they did make a loud booming sound. She walked to the throne and saw Cassandra leaning on its edge with her elbows on her knees and her chin resting on her elbows with a gleam in her eyes. Riona hissed at Carly and took a stance as if she wanted to attack her and Dante bowed his head. Carly could sense others in the large room but they were hidden in the darkness of the room behind the throne, but she could tell there were other vampires and lycanthropes in the room as well. Carly knelt before the throne and bowed her head.

"Cassandra of Troy, I Julia of the house of the Julii, one that you have made but released, beg your forgiveness and plead with you to accept my loyal service once more." Carly said with formality. She knew how Cassandra liked ceremony. She heard Cassandra laugh long and hard while Riona gave a hellish hiss.

"No, Mistress…no do not take her back! It is a trap…she intends to usurp you and your power…her and that human slut. I beg you…do not trust her." The red head vampire begged her mistress.

"Shut up, Riona." Cassandra screamed. Cassandra got off her thrown and walked to Carly and when she stood in front of Carly she placed a finger on the other girl's chin. "Look at me, Julia." She said so sweetly and kind. Carly lifted her head and Cassandra smiled.

"So…you wish to come back? Did you realize your mistake with the human girl?"

"Yes, Mistress." Carly responded.

"I was hoping when you slammed open my doors so rudely that you came to challenge me, Julia. I was so looking forward to that. All others below me are too weak to challenge me. Do you wish to fight me, Julia?"

"Never, Mistress, you are too strong and powerful."

Cassandra giggled, "Oh this is so much better…if it was just a challenge I would have killed you quickly but now if…and I do say if…I take you back I get to punish you over and over. You do realize I must punish you for your disrespect don't you?"

Carly swallowed, "Y…yes, Mistress…I…I understand." She knew this was coming but it still made her afraid.

Cassandra clapped her hands together like a school girl, "Oh how wonderful. Are you willing to take the blood oath once more, Julia?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"And you will not interfere with my plans for the girl…you precious Samantha?" Cassandra asked in a giddy voice.

Carly took a deep breath and felt a single tear run down her cheek, "No…No, Mistress…I will not interfere." She said softly.

Cassandra laughed again. "Well since you have come back on you own free will and have agreed to my terms and you have no demands….you don't have any do you, Julia?"

Carly nodded, "Just one, Mistress. The wolves Ulfric, I promised to kill him. Allow me that pleasure, Mistress."

Cassandra giggled again, "I have need of him right now but I promise you when I am through with him he is yours…and it will be soon."

Carly smiled, "Thank you, Mistress."

"So where were we…in all my excitement of welcoming such a lovely…and I must confess my favorite…daughter home I forgot…oh yes….your punishment. As I said since you came on you own will, rather rudely through it was, I will give you the choice of your punishment. Either three years in the coffin or five years of every evening when you awake you submit to the whip. Which shall it be?"

Carly bowed her head again and took another deep breath. "The whip, Mistress…I…I choose the whip." Carly had spent time in that crossed wrapped coffin unable to get out or feed and every day she felt the agony of starving to death all day and night and she never wanted that again.

"Oh such a good choice, Julia, if I put you in that nasty old coffin I would not be able to enjoy the agony on your lovely face as I can with the whip." Cassandra smiled and bit her wrist and blood started to flow and she held her arm out to Carly. Carly took the other vampires arm with both of hers and brought it to her lips and drank. "By my blood I bind you. I am your Mistress for all eternity and you will obey my every wish and command." Cassandra said as her voice held pleasure and ecstasy as Carly drank from her. She pulled back after a moment and looked at Carly.

"By your blood I am bound to you as your servant…as your slave for all eternity and I will obey my Mistress's every wish and command." Carly said as blood ran down her chin. Cassandra bent down and licked her own blood from Carly's chin and mouth and then kissed her deep and passionate and Carly moaned in pleasure at the kiss. Cassandra broke apart and skipped back to her throne.

"Welcome home my lovely daughter…oh I have missed you so. Later tonight you shall join me in my bed and we will both remember the pleasures we used to give one another of old." Riona again hissed at Carly in her jealousy.

"As you wish, Mistress." Carly answered and smiled evilly at the red headed vampire.

Cassandra then smiled at Carly. "But first…you must start your punishment. A pity tonight I can not give it since I have plans to make…but I have someone special who will." Carly looked at Riona and vampire smiled at Carly in anticipation but her face fell when Cassandra called a different name.

"Wicked…come forth please." She called and from the shadows walked a very tall, handsome, muscular male vampire. He had long blonde hair to his shoulders and moved with the grace of a tiger. He bowed in front of Cassandra.

"Yes, Mistress…how may I serve you?" He said in a deep masculine voice.

"You are to punish our sweet Julia tonight." Cassandra commanded.

"As you wish, Mistress." The vampire known as Wicked stood and walked to Carly.

"Oh and Wicked?" Cassandra said and the male turned, "Make sure it is painful…very painful. She had been a very naughty girl."

Wicked nodded and walked to Carly. Carly stood and swallowed hard as fear gripped her. She did not fear the male per say if they were to fight one on one but she feared his punishment. Wicked was only about six hundred years old and while powerful he would never be a master vampire. But he was to be feared. He was not of Cassandra's bloodline since she did not make him. Wicked had no bloodline any longer. He and his twin brother Truth…known as the Wicked Truth…destroyed their entire bloodline and master over four hundred years ago…all expect one. A female vampire by the name of Carina. Wicked and Truth were warriors and two of the greatest warriors that walked the earth of their time before they were made and after their "death" they remained true warriors and even the council recognized their skill and offered them to join the Deathstalkers but they refused. They refused because both brothers held honor even after their death they remained loyal to their code and the Deathstalkers did not have honor. To the brothers they were no better than thugs. It was their honor that caused them to turn on their maker and destroy him. Their maker was a pedophile and he had a nasty habit of turning children he desired…mostly boys but some girls as well…into vampires so he could use them for his lusts and they never grew old. That was until he grew tired of them and he would kill them. That did not sit well with the council since they had decreed long ago children under the age of thirteen were never to be made into vampires. It also did not sit well with Wicked and Truth and their code of honor so they killed their master and then everyone in their bloodline, even the children but they killed the small ones out of pity and mercy. All except Carina because both brothers came to love her and they protected her. Even through the two brothers did what the council was going to do they found themselves as outlaws because they two were supposed to die with all the bloodline. The council wanted to eliminate that entire line from the world. Both brothers took Carina and hid and destroyed any Deathstalker that came to find them. They finally caught Truth a little over a hundred years ago but Wicked and Carina still hid…until now.

Carly's fear was because Wicked knew how to torture and he did it very well. He took no pleasure from it and that was what made him so good. He worked like a tireless machine as he tortured.

Carly gave him a smile as he took her arm gently. "Nice to see you again, Wicked, how is Carina? Is she still with you?" Carly was going to try and use charm but knew it would not work.

Wicked was to professional and her mind tricks would not work on him either. For some reason…what ever devil gave vampires their unique powers…Wicked was completely immune to vampire mind tricks regardless of how old and powerful the vampire was…it was the same with his brother. The draw back was they could not bespell anyone with their mind…not even humans. That was one of the reasons they survived so long being hunted by the council…that and they were perfect warriors. Carly thought even Wicked would give Henry a great challenge if the two ever met and her bet would be on Wicked. He was a vampire after all.

Wicked nodded, "She is fine and she is here as well, Julia, and it is a pleasure to see you."

Carly was led by wicked through the secret door she remembered the previous night as the one all the vampires came from. "What are you doing here, Wicked? Why her?"

Wicked shrugged, "The council hunts us again and Carina has missed being around her kind and Cassandra offers us protection."

Carly nodded, "Well…at least I know I won't be raped tonight…I am assuming."

Wicked stopped and turned to Carly and his eyes glared with anger, "You know me better than that, Julia, you know I have honor and would never take a woman against her will and I will not allow anyone to do that to you while I am in control of your punishment."

Carly nodded and gave a slight bow, "My apologies, Wicked, I did not mean to offend you. So shall we get on with it?"

Wicked nodded, "You know I do not enjoy this, Julia. Not with you or anyone."

Carly nodded, "Yes…but you do it so well and that is what frightens me."

Wicked did not reply but led Carly into a room lit by torches inside the room were various devices of torture and on one of the walls hung different whips and floggers and other cruel instruments of pain. Carly sighed. She was trying to act brave but she was afraid…she was afraid of the terrible pain that was to come. As a vampire her body could endure so much more torture than a human and she heard Cassandra's orders…make it painful.

"Julia!" a small female child voice called with joy to her and she saw a beautiful girl with long dark hair and brown eyes run to her. She was dressed like a Victorian doll in her long dress and her heels clicked on the stone floors. The girl threw herself into Carly's arms and hugged her tight.

"Oh it is so good to see you again…I have missed you. Did you come to play with me?" They girl looked up and smiled.

"Hello, Carina, it is nice to see you again as well." Carly said but did not hug the girl back.

Carina was turned when she was nine years old when Wicked's master made her to use her for his disgusting pleasure. He never got the chance since the brothers killed him before he could. They left Carina alive since unlike the other child vampires she was untouched and still pure. They took her and adopted her as a daughter and loved her as one. The council also wanted her death since she was so young and against their laws but the brothers protected her. The problem for Carina became when she realized she would never grow up and it corrupted her mind and while she could be and act as a sweet child she was not. She was three hundred years old and trapped in the body of a child…a very spoiled child.

"And yes…I am afraid I came to play with you." Carly said sadly and Carina clapped her hands in happiness.

Playing for Carina meant torture. Over the long years pain and torture became her substitute for sex. Her nick name is Petite Morte – Little Death. Carly feared her as well. She was powerful and even a master vampire but that was not why she feared her. She could easily destroy her if she had to, but it was her torture she feared. Where as Wicked was methodical in his technique Carina got such pleasure from it she would go on and on and was known to even beat a vampire to death (hence her name) and that was not an easy or quick thing to do…beat a vampire until they died. The could be revived of course with drinking blood as long as their heart was not destroyed but after Carina got finished with them their minds were too broken that when revived they would be nothing but animals and attack anything they saw.

"Not today, Carina, I have orders from the Mistress." Wicked said.

"Not fair…that is so not fair! I want to play, Wicked, you have not let me play in such a long time and even Cassandra will not give me any of the wolves to play with." Carina stomped her foot in anger, "I want to go home! I hate it here and I want to go home!" She crossed her arms and pouted and if Carly had not have known her she would have said it was cute.

"Enough, Carina, Julia is not your toy tonight or any other night. I will ask Cassandra about letting you play with one of the wolves later. Now go to your room." Wicked said in a gentle voice like a father tying to scold and appease his daughter at the same time.

"No! I want to watch! If I cannot do it please let me watch, Wicked, please…I want to here her scream." Carina begged and it gave Carly a chill up her spine.

"Ok you can watch…but just watch. If you try to help I will punish you." Wicked warned and Carina nodded and jumped up and down as she clapped her hands.

Carly smiled sadly and the girl and thought the brothers did her less mercy by allowing her to live. They should have killed her a long time ago.

"Julia, would you please take off your clothes?" Wicked said.

Carly nodded, "All of them?"

Wicked nodded also, "Yes if you please."

Carly took off her clothes and felt no embarrassment from being naked in front of Wicked. He did not even look at her with lust or desire he just nodded his thanks and directed her to the wall. Carina on the other hand started at Carly's naked body with envy and hate knowing she would never develop as an adult female. That was a large reason Petite Morte licked to torture adult females…out of spite for a body she would never have.

"You are so lovely, Julia…of course you always were." Carina sneered. "I am going to enjoy hearing you scream." She finished angrily.

Carly gave her a tight smile, 'I am glad I can please you, _little girl_." She said with hate.

Carly had enough of being polite to the little girl and her false bravery was leaving her as Wicked placed her back to the stone wall. She was afraid now. Afraid of the pain to come. She may have been a two thousand year old vampire but she could still feel pain. Wicked put on a pair of leather gloves and attached Carly's wrist to the wall with silver shackles. If they had been any other metal she could have snapped them easily but even the thinnest silver chain would resist a vampire's strength. Carly winced as the silver started burning her skin and she could smell her flesh start to burn. She wanted to scream but it was to early for that…that would come later.

Wicked walked away from Carly and she glanced at Carina who was smiling like a child on Christmas morning and then back at Wicked. He grabbed a long flogger that reminded Carly of the Cat of Nine Tail her father's legions used to punish soldiers who broke the rules. Those whips would have glass or jagged pieces of iron weaved into the whip tips to rip and tear the skin. The one Wicked chose had jagged pieces of silver. He walked to Carly and nodded his head and drew back the whip and lashed it forward. Carly did not start screaming until the forth lash and once she started she never stopped.

Sam, who had calmed down and actually felt better once she had the cross around her neck, ate a big dinner; Henry told her Cassandra was feeding off of her energy after she was given the first mark and that was why Sam was eating so much. After dinner she agreed to go with Henry in the morning. She left the kitchen and sat on the couch watching television and ignored Mei's attempts at conversation and the Asian girl finally gave up and went to bed. Sam waited on the couch for Carly to come back and she finally fell asleep and did not dream of Cassandra. Instead she dreamed of Carly and it was a good dream of them laughing, kissing, and making love. Miriam came by and put a blanket over Sam and went to bed while Henry and the new man Victor kept watch on the house.


	38. Chapter 38

_**I had to break the last chapter in two parts…got to long. The second part is almost finished and will be up today**_

Henry woke Sam up the next morning and she found herself still on the couch. She asked him if Carly came back and he shook his head no. Sam thought he was relived she did not come back. Sam tossed the blanket off of her and went to take a quick shower and change clothes. After her shower she put on cargo pants and a tee shirt and canvas tennis shoes and walked into the kitchen. She then put on her shoulder holster and checked her gun and saw it was loaded and put it in the holster. She was in a better mood today since Cassandra did not come to her last night in her dreams and had not "showed" up this morning. Maybe the cross was working as Henry said. She nodded to Henry and saw Miriam cooking breakfast again as usual and the man she did not like Victor sitting at the table staring at her with his dead eyes. Sam did not like him and he scared her, but the hell if she was going to let him know it. She spent a night in that fucking coffin with Cassandra and she knew real fear. His scariness was shit compared to Cassandra. She stared back at the man and smiled.

"What's up, Vic? Sleep well?" She asked as she grabbed a piece of cooked bacon off of a plate Miriam set aside to put the breakfast meat on after she cooked it. Victor looked at her hard.

"The name is Victor, girl." He said coldly.

Sam winked at him, "And my name is Sam…not girl." She could have sworn he was going to reach inside his sports jacket and pull his gun and shoot her but Sam was not going to give an inch. She was afraid of where they were going this morning and the hell if this man was going to intimidate her and look at her like she was a child after what she had been through. She heard Henry chuckle and that made her smile wider. She liked to make him laugh and chuckle. It made her feel all fuzzy inside.

"Henry, I do not know why you insist on letting her go with us. She is going to get us killed. When you called in your favor I did not know it was going to involve some bubble gum chewing teenie bopper." Victor said as she sneered at Sam.

Sam was about to give him some smart ass comment but Henry replied first. "She goes, Victor, after what she did the other night I trust her and she goes. She showed me she has what it takes. If you feel you want to leave and not honor you debt then by all means you may leave."

Victor stood up all his size filled the kitchen. Sam looked up and forgot how huge he was. The man looked at Henry, who sat calmly in a chair by the door but Sam saw his right hand inch closer to his gun, and stared back at Victor.

"If I leave then I have not honored my debt to you and that means I have failed to pay you back. I know what that means, Henry. I will go but I will not like it and I swear if she does not do her job or her fear is going to get me killed I will shot her myself."

Henry nodded, "Sure, Victor, and then you will owe me another debt. But that is fine."

Victor nodded and left the room and Sam glanced at Henry, "What the hell was that about? Why not let him leave, Henry?'

Henry shrugged, "Because he is good. He may be an ass but he will watch our backs and when the shit hits the fan we…you and I…will watch his. Plus he knows he can't leave. If he does then like he said…he failed me in the debt he owes me."

Sam shook her head, "So…he is failed…no big deal…just makes him a loser then." Sam grinned trying to lighten the mood but Henry did not smile this time.

"He knows if he fails in paying back what he owes me…and we are not talking money…I will come after him and he will die. So no he will stay."

Sam swallowed hard and was happy Miriam put a plate of food in front of her so she could focus on eating and not Henry. He sounded cold when he said that. Just when she thought she made on more dent in his armor of trying to figure him out he pulls something like this and his armor is whole again. As Sam was eating Mei came into the kitchen dressed in a very loose sweat shirt and an old pair of jeans with holes in them and her hair was in a single pony tail. Sam saw she had no makeup on and thought that was strange. She was still pretty without it…very pretty, but she rarely did not wear makeup. Sam learned Mei was very fashion oriented. She smiled at Sam and sat down as Miriam gave her some food.

"Not that you don't look cute, Mei, but you had better hurry and get dressed. I think we are leaving soon." Sam said.

Mei laughed, "Aww…you think I am cute." She teased and Sam blushed as memories if yesterday afternoon filled her head. "No, Sam, this is what I am wearing. I am not going to shift into a leopard wearing my good clothes and ruining them and why put on makeup if I am going to spend the day as a giant cat."

Sam gave her a hard look, "Yeah about that…I don't think you should go anyway."

Mei gave Sam an angry look, "I am not totally hopeless, Samantha. I _am_ a wereleopard after all and I can handle myself."

Henry nodded, "She can go, Sam, she is right. She can handle some of the lesser wolves we may have to fight."

Sam sighed, "Ok…I…I just wanted you to be safe."

Mei beamed a smile at Sam and took her hand, "Thank you for those words, Sam. I won't let you or Henry down. I promise."

Sam was about to say something when she heard a knock at the back door and heard Freddie's voice. "It's me…can I come in?"

Sam put her head in her hands and blushed. "Yeah…come in." She muttered. She was not going to look at him. Avoid all eyes contact…yeah that's it. Just don't look at him.

Freddie walked in the kitchen and he felt the same way as Sam. He would not look at her as he sat down at the table. Mei on the other hand was different.

"Well good morning, Freddie. It is such a pleasure to see you." She said with a wink and Freddie blushed. Sam jumped to her feet and glared at Mei.

"You stop it…just don't do it!" She turned to Freddie, "And you…I swear if you mention or ever talk about it to anyone or even me I swear I am going to beat the hell out of you…got it, Dork!" Sam left the room and heard Mei giggling behind her.

Miriam gave Mei a strange look while Henry just ignored them and called Sam back into the kitchen. There were things he needed to go over with her about the hunt.

"May I ask, Mei, what that was about?" Miriam asked.

Mei smiled at Freddie and looked at Miriam, "We all three had a…ummm…very interesting bonding experience yesterday."

"Mei!" Sam said as she walked back into the kitchen blushing. Mei just giggled again as Freddie held his hands up to Sam.

"I did not say a word…I swear!" The boy said with a grin. Miriam just shook her head and muttered something about young people and started washing a pan in the sink. Mei again winked at Freddie and leaned over to him.

"You were very good by the way." She whispered as she teased and Freddie blushed again while Sam just glared at her. Mei looked up and smiled at Sam with an innocent expression on her face. Henry cleared her throat.

"Ok, children, enough talk about your…ummm…bonding experience. I am sure you all had a very good time. But we have business to discuss."

Freddie nodded, "So when do we leave."

"You don't go!" Both Sam and Henry said at the same time.

Freddie gave them a look of outrage, "Why…and don't say it is my age! I am actually older than you are, Sam. And they kidnapped me and I was going to die if you had not shown up and…"

"This is no game, boy. This is not some television show and we are no Buffy the Vampire Slayers. We are not some destiny fulfilling people chosen by mystical forces to kill vampires. This is real and they are stronger and faster than we are and they do not die easily like the movies. You do not go." Henry said calmly

"I can do this…Sam is just a normal girl how come she gets to go and I don't? They did things to me too." Freddie protested.

"Shut up, Freddie! Just shut the fuck up! Yeah they got you and hung you up like a piece of meat but you don't remember s damn thing about it! I do…I remember every fucking minute I spent in that God damn coffin and trust me, Freddie, if I did not have to go I would not go. There would be no way in hell you could get me to go back in there if I didn't have to go. But I do, Freddie! I have to because it is me that bitch is fucking with. It is me she has control over and I cannot let anyone…not even Henry…fight my battles for me. Didn't yesterday prove anything to you? Didn't it even show you an ounce of her fucking power? What she made me do and through me made you and Mei do was nothing, Freddie, it was a fucking drop in the bucket of what she is capable of. This is not a game or a movie script! This is real fucking life…my fucking life and you are not going. If you spend a night in her coffin then you can go…but until then you stay and I swear to God if you insist on going…" Sam pulled her pistol from her holster and pointed it at Freddie, "I will put a fucking bullet in you leg to stop you! You are not going!"

Miriam touched Freddie's shoulder, "Stay with me, Freddie, I am not going either because I would be useless and just get in the way. I have no power over the undead. I am going to stay here and prepare for their return. They will need someone to help them in case they are hurt."

Freddie glared at Sam who was still pointing her gun at him and he noticed she was not even shaking. "You…you would shoot me wouldn't you?"

Sam nodded, "I don't want to but if it stops you from going then you are damn skippy I will shoot your leg."

Freddie sighed, "I just wanted to help…I…I mean I blame myself for you having to go through all that."

Sam put her gun away and got on her knees in front of Freddie, "Freddie, you are my best friend and I swear if you tell any one what I am going to say I _will_ shoot you. I…I love you, Freddie, I love you as my best friend and I don't want to see you get hurt. If you went with us I would be so worried about you I could not focus on what I needed to do and it would not only get me killed but you and maybe Henry and Mei. Please…just stay here and help Miriam."

Freddie nodded, "Ok…I'll stay and help Miriam but I swear if you do not come back alive I will give an eulogy at you funeral and tell then what you said to me and about yesterday." He smiled.

Sam slapped him on the back of the head and grinned, "You have a deal, dork." She looked at Henry. "Can you tell me what you need to tell me in the living room?" Sam did not want Freddie to listen and get his feeling hurt again about not going.

Henry nodded. "Yeah I just want to go over the grenades again and how we are going to use them and refresh your memory with the machine guns."

Sam smiled as they walked into the living room, "Machine guns…cool."

Henry chuckled, "Would you have shot the boy?"

Sam shrugged, "Yeah…in the foot…maybe just to take off his little toe…but yeah I would have."

Henry nodded, "You are going to be ok, Sam, you are going to make it today."

Sam smiled and that comment made her feel like he told her he was proud of her. Once again he made her feel all fuzzy inside. They left the house in Henry's car and he told Sam that since it was day time the vampires should be asleep…yeah should but Sam had seen Carly awake during the day as long as she stayed out of the sun she was fine. Sam remembered how Carly told her the powerful and older vampires did not have to sleep during the day. Henry did mention their main obstacle was going to be the werewolves and the vampire Riona's human servant Sebastian. Sam was armed with her Browning 9mm in her shoulder holster, her 9mm Firestar in a holster in the waist of her pants behind her back, and she had a Mini Uzi machine gun…and a big hunting knife strapped to her leg. The knife blade was a mixture of silver and steel. She carried extra ammunition in her cargo pants pocket. The men were armed similar to her and the only one in the car not carrying a gun was Mei…and she assured Sam that not only did she not know how to use one she did not need one. When they arrived at the warehouse Henry parked the car about a block away and as the got out he tossed Sam a blue jean jacket to hide her guns as they walked to the warehouse.

Victor scouted ahead and cam back and informed then there was only one guard on the door and they knew he had to be a werewolf. The problem was going to be sneaking up on him to kill him quietly…lycanthropes had excellent hearing…better than vampires. Sam noticed Mei had disappeared as they talked about what they were going to do and then she walked out of the warehouse entrance in the form of a black leopard about the size of a small pony. She was licking the blood off her jaw. Sam smiled as Mei came up to her and rubbed against her.

"That quite enough for you?" She asked Victor with a smile. The man just nodded and they made their way into the warehouse and saw the body of the man with his throat ripped out to where it almost decapitated him. Sam was tempted to pet Mei and say "Good Kitty" but thought that may have offended her so she kept it to herself. Henry turned to Sam.

"You know where the coffins are, right?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah…we go through that big room…the one with her throne in it and down another hallway and they are lined up in a single room…except hers…hers is in another room by its self."

Henry nodded, "Ok…let's do this."

Sam grabbed his arm, "Henry…one thing we did not talk about." Henry made a motion with his hand for her to continue, "What…what if Carly is in there…what if…what if Cassandra got her and she…she well…I don't know if I can kill her."

Henry nodded, "Then I will. If she is in there, Sam, then she is the bad guy."

Sam took a deep breath, "Ok…but…I…ok…ok…you are right. If she is in there then she is a bad guy. I'm ready."

They walked carefully down the long slanting hallway and when they got to the large double marble doors Henry pulled an object from the black bag he was carrying and handed it to Victor and the handed Sam two of the hand grenades and motioned for her to put them in the large pockets of her cargo pants. He then motioned for Victor to get ready to throw his object in the room.

"Flash bang grenade. Makes a bright blinding light and a hell of a noise that will stun any one in the room and with the hearing of the werewolves it gives them hell. I am going to open the door and he is going to throw it and I will close the door to shield us but cover up you ears." Henry looked at the cat, "She may want to back up the hallway some." As if she understood Mei padded back up the hallway.

Henry cracked the door and Victor tossed the grenade in the room and Henry quickly shut the door as all three of them out their hands over their ears. Even with the door and her hands over her ears Sam heard the loud boom. As soon as they heard explosion Henry opened the door and he and Victor were in the room with their machine guns at the ready. Sam was way to slow as she followed them. She looked around the room and saw it was empty and shrugged. She walked up to Henry and pointed at the far wall.

"There…a door in that wall and it leads to the coffin room." Sam said and Henry nodded.

They made their way down the next dark hallway and when they came to the door Henry once again had Victor use the flash bang grenade and after it was done they walked in the room and saw the coffins lined up all neat and orderly. Henry put down the bag and pulled out the some grenades and then a long thin plastic cord. Victor walked further in the room and was attaching a grenade to each coffin.

"Det cord…we attached a grenade to the coffin and run this cord attaching it to each coffin and then Cassandra's coffin in the other room. I will attach the detonator and we'll go back in the hallway and when I press this button." He showed Sam a small object like a small black box with a button on it, "the room goes boom and we come back and finish off any survivors. There normally isn't but never can tell. They burn good…real good." Henry explained to Sam and she saw the gleam in his eyes. He was enjoying this…like a big game hunter shooting his trophy animal.

Sam nodded and was carefully watching Henry attach a grenade to a coffin so she would learn how to do it herself. Mei stayed close to Sam and Victor was on the other side of the room.

"Henry!" Victor's voice said and Sam looked up and saw her had opened on of the coffins. "This ones empty!" He yelled.

"Fuck me." Henry said softly. "We walked into a trap."

The door they had entered suddenly slammed shut and Mei growled as they all heard laughter coming from around them like hey were in a movie theater with surround sound. Sam knew that life. She would never forget that laugh. It was Cassandra.

"Ohhh…they came to play. Do you take me for a fool, Reaper?" Cassandra's voice echoed in the room that suddenly got cold…very cold. On the wall to the left of they room the stone parted and opened into a dark hallway. "It is the only way out, Reaper…you have to come to me."

Victor was using his great strength to try and open the door they had come in. "No…we aren't getting out this way." He said as he gave up.

Henry shrugged, "Well…let's go see what she wants."

Sam shook her head and did not move as her body started shaking.

"No…I…I can't. I could do it when I thought she would be asleep but not now…I…I can't I just can't look at her again."

Again they heard Cassandra laugh, "Oh my darling, Samantha, you will come to me…you will join me or they die…all of them and then tonight I go back and kill the witch and your boyfriend I will turn him and he will suffer pain for all eternity." He voice again echoed in the room.

Sam swallowed hard and stood for a moment without moving, "Ok…ok you bitch…I will come to you…but it is you that will fucking die!" Sam screamed after a long moment and they heard Cassandra giggle this time.

"Oh how wonderful! Julia is also waiting for you…I think she had missed you." Cassandra voice sounded child like and happy. Sam shivered.

"You leave her alone! Don't hurt her…please don't hurt her!" Sam yelled.

"Hurt her…well I can't promise you that. She accepted her fate and punishment but she came willingly to me, Samantha, so willingly." Cassandra's voice purred seductively. "Now enough of this stalling! Come to me or we come get you and you do not want that!" Her voice held an edge now that made Sam's skin burn as she felt Cassandra's power. The two men, one teenage girl, and large black leopard walked through the hidden door and into the dark hallway. Sam held her Mini Uzi tight in her hand actually hoping to kill something.

The came to another door and it opened by itself and before they could walk in the door the two men and Sam dropped their machine guns as they burned in their hands like red hot metal and melted on the ground before their eyes. Sam groaned aloud and looked at Henry.

"Did that really happen or are they mind fucking us?" She asked

Henry shrugged, "If Carly is in there I would say mind fucking us…she is very good at that…if she is it does not matter. She'll make sure we can't find them…come on."

They walked into the room and it was large but not as large as the throne room and not as ornate. There were no statures or paintings or throne. It was very Spartan in appearance and the only thing in the room was a large flat stone raised on a pedestal like looked like the sacrificial table or alter Sam had seen in her dreams. She looked around the room and saw a group of three men in half wolf and half human form and one woman the same and at their feet were four full wolves that Sam knew they were werewolves by the flow of energy that washed over her. It was not painful to her but just something she could sense. Like walking into a kitchen and knowing what was for dinner by the smell. Around they alter she saw four vampires, the red headed female she knew as Riona, the male Dante, one very large male with long blonde hair she did not know and sticking out over the back of his head was a very large sword hilt, and then she saw Carly. Carly would not look at her as the others did and she wanted to scream out and call to her…to tell her she was sorry…so sorry and she loved her, but the moment passed quickly as she remembered the terrible things Cassandra has shown her what Carly had done and then last night what Carly had done to Mei and the awful fear that washed over her as Carly showed Sam what she was capable of doing. Sam now knew Carly was just one of the monsters.

She looked at the alter and saw Cassandra sitting on the top and in her lap was a small beautiful girl of about nine or ten…maybe younger. Sam wanted to yell and scream and beg Cassandra not to hurt the child…not a little girl…even she could not be that evil but as soon as the girl looked at Sam and smiled Sam knew the girl was a vampire and she thought that sad. A girl that age to be made into something that evil and Sam felt pity for the girl. The girl laughed as she looked over her shoulder at Cassandra and it was such a sweet innocent laugh.

"She feels sorry for me, Cassandra, I can feel her pity." The girl said in a sweet child's voice. "Ohhh…can I play with her…please. I think she would be so much fun."

Cassandra stroked the girl's long black hair, "No, my dear, she is not to be played with but see the cat? She turns into a very lovely young lady and I will give her to you to play with when we are done here."

He girl looked at Mei, who growled low in her throat, and grinned. "Oh she is a wereanimal. Oh wonderful…she is a pretty kitty cat that I can make change back and forth and in human form I will play with her and in cat form she will be my pet." The girl hugged Cassandra, "Thank you Mistress."

Cassandra smiled and put the girl to her feet and stood up. "Yes you will like her. Now go to Wicked and let me do what I need to do."

The girl ran to the tall blonde vampire and wrapped her arms around his legs and he placed a hand on her shoulder. After hearing the conversation Sam no longer felt pity for the small child vampire. For some reason she knew when the girl said play she did not mean with Barbie Dolls.

"Come to me, Samantha, come to me and let's finish this. I grow tired of this game." Cassandra said.

Sam looked at her avoiding the vampire's eyes and shook her head. She wanted to scream no but she could not find her voice as fear gripped her body. Cassandra sighed and looked over her shoulder to Carly.

"Julia…make her come to me."

Carly nodded her head to Cassandra, "Yes, Mistress." She answered. She knew Cassandra could do this. Her mistress had more power than she did and she had given Sam the first vampire mark and could control the human girl to an extent but she was testing Carly and punishing her. She was going to test Carly's loyalty and punish her by making Sam come to Cassandra. Carly looked at Sam.

"Go to her, Samantha, remove your cross, your gun, and go to her. Go to your Mistress." Carly said and entered Sam's mind. She felt Sam try to fight back and push her from her mind and increased the use of her power and knew she won the short battle of wills when she felt Sam's mind relax.

Sam's mind was rolled by Carly and she removed her cross, which glowed with white light and heard Dante and Riona hiss as they looked away until Sam put the cross in her pocket. Sam then removed her gun and dropped it to the floor. She looked at Carly and started to walk to Cassandra.

Henry gave Victor a look and the big man nodded at the unspoken plan. They knew they were not getting out alive but they would take as many vamps and wolves down they could before they died. That look and nod was an understanding they would strike at the right moment. Both men pulled their guns in one quick motion and waited for their moment.

Cassandra wrapped her arms around Sam in a loving embrace and removed the blonde girl's jacket, shirt, and bra and found Sam's other gun and took it and laid it on the alter. She gave Carly a look of disapproval and Carly shrugged as if to say "sorry I did not know". Cassandra walked Sam up the steps to the alter and laid her down. She motioned for Riona to hold the girl's legs and for Carly to hold her upper body.

"Release her mind, Julia; I want her to feel the pain." Cassandra said and Carly obeyed. Sam tried to struggle and break free but the two vampires grips were to strong. She looked up and saw Carly's face but the vampire would not meet her eyes.

"Help me….please help me, Carly! Please…don't let her do this to me! Please…you…you said you loved me…you said you would never hurt me…why…why, Carly?" Sam screamed but Carly' face remained void of emotion as she held Sam.

"Dante, shut her up!" Cassandra yelled and the male vampire walked to the alter and placed a gag in Sam's mouth. Sam screamed and struggled as her cries were muffled by the gag. Cassandra leaned down to Sam's ear.

"I am going to release you power as the ancient druids did of old, Samantha. Just a small cut to release your blood. You have already drank the blood if an immortal so we don't need that part of the ritual. I really don't believe the ritual is needed…but I do so like formality. Then I am going to give you the second mark and drain you again and you will drink from me once more and then you will once again join me in our sleep. Tonight I will complete the ritual of turning you and then when you awake tomorrow night you will be as us…you will have the dark gift…and I will truly be your mistress and then I will teach you. With my mind I will show you how to become powerful and together we will challenge the Master of Nightmares and I will take my seat on the council. If you survive you will join me and maybe if you are good I will let you and Julia be together for a time. I will allow her to show you how to live as one of us…and how to kill and murder as one of us. She was always so good at that." Cassandra licked Sam's ear and pulled her head back as Sam tried to kick and struggle but the vampires held her too tight. She looked at Carly again and pleaded with her face and eyes but Carly ignored her.

Sam's eye focused back on Cassandra and saw the vampire's hand raise a knife made of stone to Sam's right breast and she cut Sam deep. Sam flinched in the pain and tried to cry out but the gag prevented her screams from escaping her mouth. Cassandra licked the blood from the large knife and then ran her tongue over Sam's breast licking the blood off the blonde girl. Sam felt the vampires tongue on her nipple and again tried to struggle. Cassandra laughed as she leaned down to Sam.

"Umm…I must apologize for that little liberty I took…your breasts are so lovely I could not resist. But pleasure comes later when we sleep. First I will remind you of the pain and the fear." Cassandra opened her mouth and Sam saw her fangs coming closer to her neck and then the sharp pain as the vampire's teeth punctured her. But that was not the pain Cassandra was talking about. Sam knew that…she had experienced it before. When Cassandra bit her the first time she entered her mind and made Sam feel pain and fear like she never felt before. She knew it was coming as the vampire started to drink from her. She knew the pain and terrible fear would come soon and she started crying.


	39. Chapter 39

**2****nd**** part of the last chapter**

"Noooo…I won't let you do this! I will not let you have her!" Sam heard someone yell and suddenly felt Cassandra pull away and Sam saw a shape jump over her and attack Riona. She felt her arms and legs free.

"Julia! How dare you! How dare you break the blood oath? I will kill you myself for this!" Cassandra screamed and Sam felt the vampire's incredible power start to flow around the room like hot air. She felt as if she stuck her head in an over. That was the moment all hell broke loose in the room.

Sam saw Carly on the stone floor fighting with Riona. Carly's mouth was full of blood as she had ripped the red headed vampire's throat. She saw Cassandra's hair swirling around her head and could feel the power coming from the vampire and it was directed at Carly. Sam knew she had to do something…anything and her now free hand found the large stone knife. She picked up and plunged it deep into Cassandra's chest. The girl vampire screamed and fell back to her knees. Sam took the time to look around the room.

Mei charged two of the werewolves in complete animal form as they attacked and she met them half way. Her cat paw struck out and ripped at the throat of one of the wolves and it fell back with a howl and whimper and Mei jumped on it and her cat teeth ripped and tore at its throat as her front claws ripped deep into its belly. She suddenly let out a cat like wail if pain as the other wolf bit into her back leg and pulled her off the wolf. She backed up into a wall limping slightly and growling low in her throat as the wolf that bit her and another werewolf in half wolf and half human form stalked her.

When Carly attacked Riona, Henry and Victor struck. Victor ran to his left and fired two shots into the chest of the werewolf that charged him and the full wolf form dropped to the ground as the silver bullets slammed into its chest. He was turning his gun to another wolf when suddenly in front of him stood the tall blonde vampire. Victor turned his gun on the vampire but he was not quick enough for the vampire's supernatural speed. With one smooth motion too quick for the eyes to follow Wicked drew his large sword and swept it downward. Victor was cut in half at the waist before he could even get his gun around.

When Victor ran to the left Henry ran to the right and fired a shot into the large wolf that attacked him and hitting it in the head. He knew he killed it when the wolf changed back into its human form as lycanthropes do if they die in their animal form. The beast changed into a female shape but Henry did not have time to admire his marksmanship as another wolf attacked him, this one half man and half wolf. Henry fired two shots into its chest and it staggered back wounded but not dead as it let out pain filled howl. He was about to finish the job and get to Sam when the blonde haired vampire knocked him to the ground and his gun went spinning from his hand. Henry looked up and saw the vampire's face void of any emotion and holding a bloody sword in his hand. He knew he had his back up gun in the holster behind his back also knew he would not reach it in time before the sword came down. Vampires were just too quick. Henry paused just a half of a second and rolled to his left as he used his instinct and a lot of luck to guess the vampires move. His luck paid off as he heard the sword clash against the stone floor and as he rolled he pulled his back up gun and fired two shots into the vampire. Henry's aim was off since her fired while he rolled but he did hit the vampire in his arm and Wicked dropped his sword. The vampire then jumped at Henry with fangs bared and the man threw up his left hand to protect his neck. Wicked's fangs buried deep into Henry's arm and the man yelled in the pain and pulled his arm freed causing the wound to rip open along his arm. At the same moment he pulled his arm free Henry fired two shots into Wicked's stomach and the vampire fell back with a growl of pain. He was on his knees holding his stomach and Henry fired another shot into the chest and Wicked fell back as the silver bullet hit his heart. He was not dead even with the shot to the heart. Two kill a vampire with a shot to the heart you have to completely destroy the heart and that was why Henry preferred a shot gun for that work. One bullet from a pistol just did not do the trick. He walked to Wicked and picked the sword up off the ground and raised it above his head. Wicked looked into Henry's eyes.

"It is an honor to die by the hands of another true warrior such as the Reaper." Wicked said with a smile on his face.

Henry ignored the parting words and brought the sword down and severed the vampires head from his body. Honor did not mean shit to Henry. Alive or dead was what mattered to the Reaper. Henry spun around to check the room and to see if Sam still lived but as he did another shape hit him and he went flying into the wall. He rolled over and put his back against the wall and looked for his gun or the sword and saw they were far from his reach. Standing above him was a huge black werewolf in half human and half man form. Henry sighed. "Well fuck me."

All of this happened in the instant Sam stabbed Cassandra with the knife and after she quickly glanced around the room and saw the fighting had started she heard Cassandra's voice and looked to see the vampire get off her knees and stand in front of her.

"Stupid girl, you missed the heart! But it hurt and you will pay for that pain. What I showed you in my coffin was nothing compared to the pain I will cause you for all eternity. First you will watch your precious Julia die slow and painfully and then your friends and then it will be your turn. I will give you to Carina for her play toy and then I will make you suffer myself. Everyday for eternity you will suffer for you trying to kill me!" Cassandra grabbed Sam by the hair and pulled her to her feet and then off her feet as she levitated above the alter. Sam screamed in pain and fear as Cassandra pulled her up and up by her hair. The vampire's face was one of pure evil and her hair was flipping around her head as locks of it slapped into Sam's face. Sam had dropped the knife and she screamed again as she saw Cassandra's mouth open and her white fangs almost gleaming from the torch light of the room. The vampire girl licked Sam's neck teasing her as she laughed which gave Sam the time she needed. She reached in her pocket and pulled out her cross which was warm to the touch. She held closed in her fist so the white light would not shine out. As Cassandra opened her mouth wide and brought her fangs in to give Sam the bite that would sink her teeth into her neck Sam brought her hand up to Cassandra's mouth.

"Bite this, bitch!" Sam screamed and shoved the cross into the vampire's mouth. Cassandra screamed and let go of Sam as her mouth burned and sizzled like she took a bite of a white hot piece of coal.

Sam was dropped to the ground and landed on the alter with a thud. She groaned as pain shot up her sides and her right leg felt as if it was broken. She looked around and saw Cassandra on her knees on the ground screaming and trying to pull the cross out as it burned and welded to the inside of her mouth. Sam saw the gun Cassandra took from her and laid on the stone alter and she grabbed it and pointed it at the vampire and fired two shots into her head. Cassandra stopped screaming and crumpled to the floor not moving. Sam took the time to look around the room and she saw Mei backed against the wall and laying on the ground. Her right back leg was bleeding profusely and Sam screamed when she saw the wereleopard's stomach had been ripped open by claws and two wolves stood over her. One in half man half human form the other in full wolf form. Sam then looked quickly and saw Henry against the wall on the other side of the room with a very large black furred werewolf in his half man form standing over him and he seemed to be taunting Henry. She briefly mad eye contact with him and he shook his head. Sam then knew what to do. She got up and half limped and half ran painfully to Mei and fired two shots into the full wolf form. The shot hit the wolf's hide quarter and it howled in pain and Sam still ran and the half wolf backed away as Sam fired a shot at him but missed. She fell to the ground next to Mei and picked up the large leopard head and laid it in her lap as she put her own back against the wall and held her gun ready to shoot anything that attacked them.

"Mei…oh God…please don't die…please…I will protect you…I promise! We are bound remember? I will protect you but you can't die…please!" Sam cried out as one hand held Mei's head in her lap and the other pointed the gun. She was looking around the room to shoot something…someone…anything. She saw Dante kneeling down at Cassandra's head like he was examining her and the small child vampire had her body thrown across the body of the tall blonde vampire crying. Sam saw Henry limping across the room to her with a large sword in his hand. She wandered what had happened to the werewolf who was going to kill him. And then she saw Carly. She walked and knelt down next to Dante.

Henry shook his head at Sam telling her not to save him as the large werewolf taunted him with names. Henry thought the wolf was foolish. Never taunt a living opponent…it gives them time to form a plan. But the wolf Ulfric Mathew was a brute and a bully. A strong one true, but a brute never the less. He was not a professional killer. Henry was a professional. The wolf taunted him about infecting him and the number of way he was going to kill him when he saw Henry smile. Mathew gave Henry a strange look and then felt a presence behind him and someone grab his head and held it tight.

"I told you, wolf, I would be your death. I told you my face would be the last one you see before you die." Carly said calmly and then she suddenly turned the wolf's head around to face her while his body faced the other direction. Bones cracked as his head was turned and his neck broke. "Look upon your death, Wolf!" Carly screamed as she broke Mathew's neck. She let his body crumpled to the floor and pulled Henry to his feet. She then handed him his gun and walked away. Henry fired to shots into Mathew's head to make sure he was dead and soon his body shifted back into human form. He looked up and saw Sam half running and half limping to Mei and saw the vampire Dante kneeling over Cassandra's body. Henry limped and picked up the sword and made his way to Sam. There were still the wolves to fight.

Sam saw a wolf charge her and as soon as she lifted her gun another wolf in half man form grabbed the charging wolf by the scruff of its neck and tossed him across the room.

"Enough!" The wolfman yelled in growling sounding voice. "Our Ulfric is dead and this fight is not longer ours!"

Another half wolf walked to him and stopped within arms length. "You are not Ulfric, Gabriel. You do not give the orders!" He shouted and the wolf Gabriel slapped the other wolf and he fell to his knees and looked up and growled.

"I am Fenir…second in command. I lead this pack until a new Ulfric is chosen at the next Lupnar. Now gather our dead and wounded. We are leaving!" He ordered and the wolves obeyed. Gabriel looked at Sam and walked over to her.

Sam was clutching and begging Mei not to die as tears ran down her face when the large wolf walked to her. She lifted her gun at him.

"I will fucking kill you if you come any closer!" She screamed at him.

Gabriel shook his head and then his whole body shook as he dropped to his knees and his boned cracked and muscle ripped as his body reformed to that of a human male. He took several deep breaths and stood up. He walked naked to Sam and she turned her head not to look and then back but her eyes focused on the man's face. He has his arms raised and his hands in front of him.

"I mean you no harm, girl. Our part in this is over." He said kindly.

Sam, still pointing her gun at him, shook her head slightly, "No…you hurt her and she may die…and…and I am bound to protect her…so…so you die too."

The man smiled, "I know you would do it but let me help her."

"Why would you help her? Your pack did this to her and…and they killed her people!"

The man frowned and looked sad, "That is why I…our pack…will help her. Mathew was out Ulfric and he was cruel and with the vampire backing him he was too strong and we had none to challenge him. We were an honorable pack before Mathew corrupted us. Let us help her and help us try to regain some of our honor back. We can help her heal quicker. Even now her body is trying to shift back into human form. If she does that she will die. She will heal faster in her animal form and we have the power to keep her from shifting. Please, gi…Samantha…please let us help." There was something in the man's voice that Sam trusted and she looked down at Mei. The leopard rolled her eyes at Sam and gave small whimpering cat sounds as her body jerked several times. Sam knew she was fighting not to change back. She looked at Gabriel.

"Ok...but if she dies I come hunting and werewolf is my menu." Sam said as she lowered her gun.

Gabriel smiled at the girl not in amusement but in admiration. "Agreed." He said and lifted Mei in his arms and carried her out of the room.

Sam struggled to her feet and saw Henry had the sword over his head and the brought it down quickly and she head a loud chopping sound and she knew he cut off Cassandra's head to make sure she was dead. Sam stopped and looked around the room. She saw all the blood and the bodies and almost threw up when she saw Victor laying in two pieces and his intestines spilling on the ground. She started shaking and dropped her gun and put her hands to her face and saw the bloods on them and started crying. She looked up and saw a bloody Henry walk to her and Sam ran and half limped to him and hugged him tight. She started sobbing into his chest as her held her. He did not say anything he just held her to him.

Carly walked over to Sam and Henry and reached out to touch Sam's hair when the blonde girl spun around. "Don't touch me! Don't ever fucking touch me again! You…you are just like her! You…you are one of them…and I hate you! I fucking hate you!" Sam screamed at Carly and buried her head back in Henry's chest. The lovely brunette vampire sighed sadly and looked at Henry.

"I now know where I stand with her but what of you, _Reaper_?" Carly asked and she emphasized Henry's nick name.

Henry looked over Sam's shoulder, "You earned a pass from me today, Carly. But one day I may come for you."

Carly nodded, "I ask that you do not make it too soon…or I will not be much of a challenge in my current mood. I may just let you take me and not fight back in the mood I am in."

Henry grinned, "Then it will be a long time then…you do know how I so enjoy the challenge. What about the rest…the ones that are still alive? Do I need to come back and finish them?"

Carly shook her head, "No…Dante and I can handle them…they are weak. We will take care of Cassandra and the other dead ones. I will make sure there in no doubt they are truly dead. You have your pass to, Henry…you may go…and…and take care of her…please."

Henry nodded and led a crying and limping Sam out though the door after he slipped the jean jacket over her naked upper body. Sam looked back at Carly and saw the vampire girl looking at her and Sam could have sworn there was a tear in her eyes as she watched Sam go. Sam just turned back around and placed her head on Henry's shoulder and the two humans limped out of the darkness.

Carly wiped her eyes and took a deep breath and then kicked Cassandra's head away from her body and looked at Dante, "Wake two of the minor vampires and burn her head, cut out her heart, and burn her body. The same with Riona and Wicked."

Dante smiled, "Yes, Mistress." Carly frowned at that but let it go. Dante pointed at Carina who was still crying over Wicked's body. "And her…what do we do about her?"

Carly sighed, "What we must." She replied.

Dante frowned, "I will take care of it, Mistress."

"No…I will do it." She looked up at Dante, "And stop calling me Mistress. I am not that. I never wanted to be. You are Master here now Dante. As the next oldest and strongest it falls to you since I do not want it."

Dante smiled, "Yes I know…you never did like responsibility. So what will you do, Ju…sorry…Carly?"

Carly smiled, "I will be here for a while to help you get control of your power base and help you fight off any challengers and then I will go to Rome. I want to see it again."

Dante frowned, "But you are still in exile…the council will not let you."

Carly shook her head, "I don't care…I will take what punishment they decide…I have not seen Rome in a long time and…and…I just want to go home." Carly said as her voice cracked with emotion and her eyes got watery again.

Dante nodded, "I will see to the dead." He waked away and then turned back to Carly, "Do you remember when you showed me what love was like since I had forgotten?" Carly nodded, "I am glad you did not remind me of what heartbreak felt like." With that he turned and left to go wake two of the minor vampires to do the grisly work.

Carly took a deep breath and walked over to the child vampire. She kneeled down and touched the girl's head gently. "Carina…come, child, we must go."

Carina looked at Carly with tears in her eyes. "They…they killed him…they killed my Wicked." She cried.

"Yes, I know…come with me, Carina." Carly said as she stood up and took the girl's hand.

"I…I loved him, Julia…I love both of them and now they are dead. What…what am I to do now?" Carina asked Carly as they walked slowly across the room.

Carly smiled at her, "And they loved you…both loved you very much…maybe too much."

Carina nodded, "Do you love me, Julia? I was always very fond of you."

Carly looked at the girl and shook her head, "No, Carina, I do not love you."

Carina nodded, "And now what do I do…who will protect me from the council?"

Carly held the girl's hand tight, "Now we give you peace, Carina." She said softly.

Carina gave Carly a half smile, "Yes…peace. I sometime wish it would have been you who had found me, Julia, not the brothers."

Carly looked down at her, "But I would not have let you live, Carina."

Carina stopped walking nodded, "Yes…I know." She looked up at Carly and smiled wide. "Will you carry me, Julia."

Carly nodded and picked the small child up in her arms and carried her from the room. Carina hugged Carly tight.

"Julia…don't make it hurt. I…I may deserve to be hurt for all I have done…but please don't?" She whispered in Carly's ear.

Carly ran her hand through Carina's hair, "I promise it will not hurt. I will make it feel good. When the time comes let me know what you want to feel and I will allow you to feel and see it."

Carina smiled, "I already know…I want to feel like I am grown up and so pretty like you. Can you do that?"

Carly kissed her cheek, "Yes, Carina, I will do that for you." She said as she carried the girl down the long hallway to her coffin.

Sam and Henry limped to Henry's car as they ignored people who saw them and stared. Sam was glad they did not run into any police. Henry helped Sam sit in the car and left her legs on the outside of the car as he checked her leg. He told her it was not broken and then walked to the trunk and pulled out a first aid kit. He had Sam open her jacket and he placed a large bandage on the knife cut and said she may need stitches. He then turned Sam in the car and got in the driver's side an they drove home. Sam was looking out the window and turned to Henry.

"So…the truth…when did you know we waked into a trap?" Sam asked.

Henry smiled, "As soon as I woke up this morning."

"Prick…why…why do that?" Sam asked in only a little hint of anger in her voice.

Henry shrugged, "Where was the challenge of blowing them up from a distance?"

Sam shook her head, "I am sorry about you friend."

"He was not a friend…just someone I helped and who owed me a debt."

Sam gave Henry a seductive smile and a wink, "But I am you friend right, handsome."

Henry laughed, "You are one of the few people who can make me laugh…but you still owe me a debt and one day I will call you to pay it back."

Sam sighed, "Yeah…just not to soon. I am not ready to go through this again."

Henry nodded, "It will be when you are ready…because you will be watching my back." They stopped at a red light and Henry face Sam, "Sam, it is a good day. We lived they died. When you can walk out alive it is a good day."

Sam nodded and turned her body and moaned, "Fuck…I think I broke some ribs." Sam moaned.

Henry nodded, "Yes and you have a vampire bite that needs cleansing."

Sam turned, "Don't remind me. But so do you."

Henry chuckled, "And why do I get the feeling you are going to enjoy helping me with that?"

Sam smiled and turned her head to look out the window again and she grinned, "You are damn skippy I am."

Sam looked at the bright sun and she started to cry. She cried tears she had not cried in a long time. Sam cried tears of happiness and joy. Henry was right. It was a wonderful day. She was alive and the monsters were dead and that bitch Cassandra could never hurt her again. The only thought that nagged her but she kept to herself was if Carly knew when she forced her to remove her gun and cross and go to Cassandra if Carly really did know about her back up gun? She shook the thought from her head and saved it for another day. She was too happy to think sad thoughts.

End


	40. Epilogue

**OH come on…did you really think I was going to end it like that and we never find out about our Heroine? **

**I wrote this epilogue in the first person because if…and I am thinking about it…if I write a sequel, which would take place after this epilogue, it would be in the 1****st**** person strictly from Sam's point of view.**

**Six years later.**

I was walking down Collier Street in downtown Seattle. Not the best place for a cute, twenty three year old blonde girl to be a little after five in the evening. A lot of people tell me I am beautiful, but hell I don't think so…I just settle for cute. I had my long curly blonde hair in a single braided pony tail down back. My hair fell almost to the center of my back. I pulled it tight against my head that it was giving me a slight head ache, but hey…I had to keep it out of the way for tonight's work. I was dressed in loose black cargo pants and a tee shirt tucked in the pants and on my feet were a pair of light hiking boots. Over my body I wore a light oversized leather jacket, black, that came a little past my waist. It was not that cold of a night but I needed the jacket to conceal what I was carrying.

Oh…by the way…my name is Samantha Puckett…I prefer Sam and I have only let two people in my life call me Samantha without correcting them. Like I said, this was not the best downtown area for a girl like me to be walking…but I was not worried…not at all…not yet. That came later. I stood only five five…ok…more like five four…but my ID did say five five. I lied about my height. I hated being shorter than most. I only weigh a little over one hundred and five pounds but it was a solid one oh eight. I work out constantly to stay in shape and try to keep my body toned. So far so good. Why wasn't I worried…hell I was armed to the teeth. Inside my jacket I carried my Browning 9mm Practical in a shoulder holster, behind my back I carried a smaller 9mm Firestar pistol. I liked the Browning a hell of a lot better but the Firestar was a good back up. I carried three silver/steel mixed six inch knives in a wrist sheath. They carried the best silver to steel ratio and still able to hold a sharp edge. They were a Christmas gift from Henry. On a swivel shoulder sling and concealed under the jacket I carried my 9mm Mini Uzi, another gift from Henry a little over nine months ago. That man sure knew the key to a girl's heart, huh. Well this girl at least. Of course all weapons were locked and loaded with silver plated bullets. I carried spare ammo clips for each gun in my cargo pockets.

Henry…gosh what can I say about him. I used to think Henry was the best killing machine I had ever seen…for a human, but I was so wrong. Machines break down…my dryer to last week…but I never saw Henry break down…ever! Henry never talks about his self or his childhood…when I look at him sometimes and try to figure him out I can't see him as a child or teenager. All I can see is a man who was created the way he is now. A man that was created by some god or goddess of death and destruction. Henry is the most dangerous human I have ever met. I used to look at him as a father figure when I was younger and naïve. He was my mentor and even teacher…in the ways of killing not throwing the ole ball around in the back yard. Well I'm older now and I am not naïve anymore. I like Henry and maybe still love him in a surrogate father sort of way, but he does not know love so I know it is a one way streak. He respects me and that is all the love one can get from him. Oh he would kill me if he had to…make no mistake about that, but at least he would make it quick and even give me a heads up out of that respect he has for me. A phone call in the middle of the night, "Hey, Sam…it's Henry. I'm coming for you" click. The question is can I kill him if it came to it…you know the classic it's either you or me type situation. Damn straight! But who would win is the bigger question. I last saw Henry a little over six months ago when he called in his marker. See I owed him with helping me with the Cassandra problem years back and also for teaching me. We watch each other's backs because we are alike he tells me…God help me if I am like him. So yeah he called in that favor and I went to Texas and helped him kill the Master of the City in Houston. That was one tough vampire let me tell you. We lived…the undead didn't. He let me keep the Uzi since I refused to take a percent of the contract money. I may kill to protect me and mine but damn it…I don't kill for money! A girl has to have some standards right? After we cleaned up the mess he gave me that cold stare that always made me shiver and asked me… "Who do you think would win…you or me?" I smiled my charming smile and winked…that made him laugh…he said I was one of the few people that could make him laugh and mean it. Made me feel fuzzy all over…seriously it did. I did not answer the question but told him to hurry up and let's get the hell out of there. I had some vampire bites that needed cleaning…just more battle scars…and some broken ribs and a broken collar bone. I did not like to think on that question because I knew the answer…he would win and the reason is simple. He was better than me. God I hope I never have to find out for real. One thing I knew for sure…if I needed him he would back me up and I would trust him to be there when the shit hit the fan and he knew I would do the same for him. The problem would be the debt I would owe him afterwards. Owing Henry was not the best thing in the world...that payback can get your ass killed. I wonder sometimes after I see him if he would ever take a contract that involved going after me. I honestly did not know…I did know it would have to be a hell of a lot of money for him to do it. Henry was good…the best…He was not known as the Reaper because of a personalized car tag…but he was not stupid and well…he likes me…I just hope it is enough at times.

Why you may ask was I loaded to the gills in weapons…simple. I was doing my job…well one of them. I own a small but very successful "Natural Beauty, Herb, and Vitamins Store". It was successful because the shit I sold worked. See I use magic…honest to goodness magic and know how to make stuff that can really cure baldness or worse and even fall in love…well instant lust, I don't sell that shit cause it causes way to many problems. See…I have certain powers…some call it witchcraft, others necromancy…but it is more than that…so Miriam my teacher told me. I also raise the dead as a night job on occasion for the right price and the right reason. What is the right reason? Anything legal. A husband dies without a will and his wife and the lawyers want to know who he left his possessions to…they hire me and I raise him, ask him the questions, it is documented for the courts, and I put him back in the grave. Easy peasy. I also am on retainer for the police…their "Ghost Squad"…a term they use. It is really their Preternatural and Supernatural Investigation Unit. PSIU for short. They investigate murders of the supernatural kind and since I know my shit when it comes to vamps or wereanimals and what to look for I get called in to help. I hate the crime scenes. I don't mind shooting and killing but I hate looking at the damage once it has been done. I threw up at my first crime scene three years ago and have yet to live it down. Of course I still throw up sometimes…I just don't do it on the body and the evidence like the first time. I am not a member of the police but a consultant. Job number three…I am a busy girl huh…I am a licensed legal Vampire Hunter and Executioner. You heard me…licensed. Yup and in four states too.

What happened was three and a half years ago there was this case in Washington DC, The District of Columbia vs. Mr. Musstte. Musette was a vampire that "murdered" a twenty one year old daughter of some congressman but the thing was he did not really "murder" the girl in his attorney's view. He made her one of his kind…the undead. It went all the way to the Supreme Court and he won since the girl was turned voluntarily since she was in love…poor deluded girl…and of legal age. The case did two things…well more than two but the most important two as far as I was concerned. The first allowed vampires, lycanthropes, other magical beings to be outed. Vampires are "legal" in four countries. Lycanthropes in over seven since it is a "disease". The U.S. is one of those countries and vampires are now good upstanding citizens…yeah right. They have laws they have to obey and there are a lot of them. They cannot feed on innocent or unwilling victims…you would be shocked on how many people there are that willing give up their blood to a vampire. They of course are not allowed to kill their victim while they feed and it is against the law for them to feed on anyone under the legal age of eighteen. And if the person wants a vampire to turn them it is a legal process. There are other laws as well but those are some of the biggies that will get a vampire killed if they break those laws…and that is where I come in. I get a court order, hunt the vamp down, and kill it. Simple huh…yeah right…legal or not they still scare the hell out of me!

Another thing the court case did was get my best friend Freddie Benson killed…murdered. He was a huge activist for Vampire rights when the case hit the Supreme Court. Ever since we met Carly Freddie became fascinated with the vamps. He looked at them like "people" and not monsters and that got him killed. He was on television, radio, organized liberal groups for vampire and lycanthropes equal rights. He was the poster child for the legalization of preternatural creature rights to be citizens. The problem was while some of vampires liked the idea of being "legal" and being outed but some did not. The older ones who kept their secret for so long hated it and three of them took it out on Freddie and killed him. I miss him a hell of a lot. I still cry when I think about that dork! I hunted the monsters down and killed them. They were three big bad master vamps and I had to invite Henry to the party when I hunted them down. They were just too strong to handle myself. It was my first "illegal' kill since they were in a state I was not licensed in and I did not have a court order for the execution, but it sure was pleasurable to kill bastard. I miss the good ole days when you could kill them on sight. I still have the long scar that starts at my shoulder and runs down to the middle of my back from that encounter when one of the vampires chewed on my body like a rabid dog, but damn if it was not worth it.

Freddie's body was the first and only one I raised as a zombie for personal reasons. Miriam warned me never to raise a murder victim. A murdered zombie goes crazy as soon as it is raised and will go after the person that killed him or her and kill anyone who gets in its way. You just can't control them. And zombies are a lot harder to kill than vampires. They don't feel pain and don't react to silver. You basically have to burn them if you cannot control them. Well I did it anyway…I had to know…I just had to. I don't know why Freddie did not go crazy when I raised him but he didn't. Maybe it was because we had a special bond and friendship when he was alive…but I think it was he knew I was going to avenge him and he trusted me to do it. When I got my answer I put him back to rest and cried as I did it. Well crying was an understatement. I brawled like a baby as I put him back in the ground. I did not cry at his funeral. I was to pissed and wanted revenge and I focused on my rage, but that night after I put him back in his grave I dropped to my knees and sobbed and wailed and for the first time in a long time I cried and did not feel weak about it. I don't know how long I mourned him that night but I do remember lying on his grave in a fetal position crying my eyes out. Fuck…I miss him so much it still hurts.

I sometimes get confused on who the monsters are. I mean…hell I am in love with one of them. Deeply in love! I still see Carly when she visits me…yeah we reconciled shortly after my melt down years ago. I see her on occasion when she comes to visit. It is not enough and it is two much. Every time I see her my knees get weak and I get butterflies in my stomach and other more personal places start to tingle. Yeah I love her but she still scares me…hey no relationship is perfect. After I calmed down from my hysteria and we made up…and boy did we make up in the best way possible…she did go to Rome again. It took her a while to get permission from the powers that be in their world and they gave it to her. I think they did because their Council knew her part in destroying Cassandra and even they were afraid of that crazy undead bitch. She was powerful enough to challenge one of them and take her place on the Council. So Carly got to go back home and I even went with her. It was a heartwarming and heartbreaking experience for both of us.

We visited the ruins that she knew and while I saw them as just that, ruins. Fascinating and amazing but just ruins, but Carly saw them as they used to be. The glory and power that was the Roman Empire…the empire her father helped get created. I cried tears of wonderment when Carly allowed me to enter her mind and I saw the glory she did and then I cried tears of sorrow when I saw the heartbreak in her eyes when she saw the ruins the way I and everyone else saw them. It broke her heart to see that. She had not seen Rome in over two thousand years. Yeah she saw pictures and stuff…but to actually be there and see the incredible buildings and monuments reduced to ruin…her heart broke and mine broke for her. We did not stay as long as we planned and she has not been back since. We went to Paris and it was so cool. We made love at night on the Eiffel Tower when it was closed…ok moment of truth…she fucked my brains out on the Eiffel Tower when it was closed…can you say awesome!

Carly's visits are what make me confused about the monsters. Like I said…I love her. I love her so completely my heart aches when she is not with me. But she knows how confused I am so she leaves me alone to make my own peace with myself and we continue our on/off relationship. She said I could see other people if I wanted as long as she could too. I agreed but I am not happy with the thought of her kissing someone else or pressing her wonderful body against someone else or someone else making her moan and gasp in pleasure. But I guess I can't have my cake and eat it to. Not that I am seeing anyone else. I have not since Mei. Carly said she has not had another lover besides me either…but how can I be sure? I try no to think about it but at night alone in my bed it is hard not to. As I said, Carly scares me but not the vampire part. I know she would never hurt me and she loves me. I shared her thoughts and her mine. I am scared for other reasons. I am scared if I commit to her completely my love for her would consume me and…I would be afraid of what I may ask her to do to me. I am not ready to become one of the monsters. When I lie in bed and just watch her after we have sex and stare at that wonderful beauty of hers and her perfect body as we gasp to catch our breaths and I see the sweat slick on her body and smell the sex in the air…I sometimes think about it. Sometimes I want to beg her to turn me so I can be with her forever and so she will never have to watch me grow old while she stays so young.

That scares the hell out of me. It frightens me down to my bones. I'll fuck them but not join their club…yeah I have a fucked up view on it don't I? I told you I was confused. Mei told me I am afraid of commitment…well that is true to a point. I am afraid of who I want to commit to and where that would lead me. I asked Carly one night when we were lying in bed with her silk sheets wrapped around us how come she did not become the Master of the City when Cassandra was destroyed. She laughed and told me she hated responsibility. I wanted her to…I wanted her to stay...I never told her that and wonder if I did if she would have. Dante took over the job and he's ok. I get along with him as long as he obeys the rules. So far so good plus I think I scare him a little…I know he scares me…hell he is a vampire…but it feels pretty cool knowing I can scare them sometimes as well.

I loved Mei and still do but I could not commit to her the way she wanted me to. You would have thought her not wanting the whole committed until death do you part type thing would have been great for me. I mean…Carly gone a lot and permission to date and have sex with someone I was…and still am…very sexually attracted to as well as very good friends with would have been perfect. Well not with Mei. She wanted something I could not give. We tried it for a while and even after we officially "broke up" and stayed friends…actually very good friends…and had our moments of weakness and ended up between the sheets again it still would not work. Mei's idea of her perfect relationship is based on a lifestyle I don't understand. Mei was and still is involved into the whole BDSM scene and she plays the role as the pet…the submissive. She plays it well. I know because I tried to give her what she wanted but it did not sit well with me. I still believe people don't own other people even if the person wants to be owned. And then I could not give her the type of sex she desired at times. Regular sex with maybe some fun games and even some small light slap and tickle was ok for me and she enjoyed it a lot, but she wanted…no she needed as she told me…more. She needed to feel the extreme pain to get off sometimes. Not just a few slaps with a belt but more close to torture for my tastes. I know people do it and enjoy it and that is great. Not just my cup of coffee thank you. I actually care enough about her to try and after I saw blood I just could not do it anymore. Mei assured me she would stop me if it got to rough but I couldn't do it. She's a lycanthrope…wereleopard to be exact…and they can take a hell of a lot of damage. They heal quickly and if the wound to not from silver it does nor scar but they still can feel the pain. I just couldn't do it and she understands and we are friends. I worry about her a lot but after many arguments on her sexual lifestyle I avoid that subject with her now.

Oh yeah, Mei found her pard and another family again…her and the other two wereleopards. Francis in Los Vegas allowed his second in control to split from him and his large lard and become Nimir-Raj to form his own pard in Seattle. He brought several other members with him…both alphas and non-alphas. He did not challenge me for Mei's protection since I protected her and the other two wereleopards for a while. He said I was a friend to the werecats and he would bend the rules if I voluntarily give up my protection. I did…kind of hurt my heart a little but it made Mei very happy to have a family again and I really was not looking to fight a strong wereleopard only with knives anyway. He is a good man and even invited me a couple of times to their monthly gathering at the full moon and told me I could join their hunt and sharing of meat. I decline politely…I am not very fond of raw meat plus I have a feeling when they change at the full moon I will become less of a friend and more like a meal. Mei gets a laugh at that. She was very disappointed the wereleopard girl Amber did not come along. I think I was too…I mean the girl did save my life and I would have liked to have seen her again. Okay...okay…she was very flirty and beautiful and sexy as hell so sue me…it may have been fun.

My mom and I have reconciled also. We get along great now even if she worries too much about my jobs…helping the police and the hunting part. I made her confront me about Melanie and her feelings for me and after a long dragged out verbal brawl we both realized we were both being selfish. I never saw how much it hurt her to lose Melanie…oh I mean I knew it hurt her…but I never gave her enough time to fully get over it and I never realized when she saw me she also looked at the daughter she lost. She said we looked so much alike that when she saw me she saw my sister as well and it made things worse. I never thought of that then. She was being selfish because she did not see how much I needed her and wanted her love…no craved it. She never saw how shutting me out was hurting me. Well we got all that worked out and now we can laugh and cry and talk about my sister without the guilt between us. Melanie's death doesn't haunt me anymore thanks to the renewed relationship with my mom. We never end a conversation without telling each other we love one another. I like that…a lot. Neither one of us can figure out where my powers come from…which side of the family…but we suspect my father's since we traced his heritage back to Scotland. I really don't care where they came from…I have my mom back. I do often wonder if Melanie would have had the same powers as me. Miriam seems to think so. She told me it is stronger in twins and also thinks that is why the powers manifested themselves in our family line after a long absence. She told me that twins are a strong mystical bound. Funny thing about my mom is she adores Carly. Go figure, huh. She is not as confused on who the monsters are as I am I guess. Carly did swear to me that she was not using her mind tricks on my mother…I believe her I guess.

Well back to the original reason why I am walking down Collier Street armed with more weapons than a Marine. Simple…I am hunting rats. There were some recent murders and we…yes we…me and the police discovered it was wererat serial killers. We…well I…approached the wererat king. Even through vampires and lycanthropes, etc are legal citizens they still don't trust the police but funny…they trust me. Go figure. I have a certain reputation in the underworld of monsters. They know I can and will hunt them if needed and kill them and they know I am good at my job…damn good. But they also know I am fair. Unless they threaten me and mine personally I don't kill for the sake of killing…well not true…I did that once to avenge Freddie but that was special circumstances. Maybe that separates me from Henry. I will not hesitate to kill anyone…be it vampire, lycanthrope, or human…who is a threat to my life or the life of people I care about but I don't go looking to kill…Henry does. I hope something separates us…I am not a sociopath…I hope. The monsters know I will give them a fair shake. Most cops won't. A lot just shot and question later. Against the law yes but what jury made up of good citizens care if a vampire or werewolf is killed…not many. So yeah they know me and even gave me a nick name…Executioner…not as cool as the Grim Reaper but I don't even come close to Henry on kills. I don't think I even want to. Anyway the rat king, Maurice, told me that there is a group of rogue wererats that do not belong to his pack…his Rodre. Three of them and they are doing the murders. He wanted to handle the problem his self but I talked him into letting the police…me…handle it. He agreed and even told me if it was anyone but me he would do it his self. I liked Maurice…he was a good pack leader and a good guy. So here I am. Loaded to bare and hunting rats…nice night job huh? The worse part is I have to go into the sewers to get them. God I hate the sewers.

I found the sewer entrance Maurice told me about and down I go. As the smell of the sewers hit me I thought quickly about what I thought about…the worse part of this job was the sewers. That was not true. The worse part of this job were the monsters. They still scared the piss out of me every time I had to face them. I sighed and wanted to get this over with. Carly was in town and waiting for me at my apartment. She got in early this morning before the sun came up. I found her in the special room I did for her in my two bedroom apartment. I have it set up so dark even during the day and have heavy curtains and nailed ply wood painted black to the windows so the sun won't get in. My neighbors think I am morbid…hell if they only knew. I still can't sleep with her when she sleeps during the day. The coldness of her body kind of still freaks me out when she sleeps but it is more than that it reminds me she is dead and well…a dead Carly makes me very sad. She came in, she has an open invitation to my place and a key even through she does not need it, and made a hell of a lot of racket and woke me up. I was pissed! I am not a morning person. We then made love and suddenly I became less of a grouch.

She wanted to come with me this evening and wanted to help me but that was not a good idea. I was able to hunt legally and she was not. If she got caught the law would put her up on murder charges and for a vampire it is a quick trail the next day and an even quicker execution right after the trial. Since I was the licensed vampire execution expert it would have been my job to do the deed. I can't do that…not to her. She used to tease me about hunting her if I had to…I don't know if I could. That was another reason I am afraid of her at times. I knew what she was capable of. I saw it though Cassandra when I was in that coffin…something that still gives me nightmares to this day. Let me tell you, Cassandra was one scary bitch. Well she showed me what Carly could do and had done and it was not pretty. I do know she would never hurt me…but would she hurt someone else? Carly was one of the old vampires that hated the new outing of her kind. She much preferred the good ole days when they were just whispered nightmares. The older ones still hunted and killed with no regard for the law. Carly told me she did not anymore…but old habits are hard to break. True she stopped feeding off "innocent" people a long time ago before she met me and would only feed off the murders and rapist and child molesters…she hated them the most…but now she could not do that. I worked a case a while back where the victim was a known child molester and he was killed by a vampire and my first thought was Carly…shows you were my trust is huh? It turned out to be the victim's daughter who was turned and wanted revenge for past deeds. I had to execute her but I felt pity for her because I would have done the same thing she did…well I would have shot the prick not rip his throat out with my teeth and tear his chest apart with my hands. But it just shows how one sided the law is. When vamps became "legal citizens" the child molesters and the bad guys have more rights than they do. Fucked up…yeah but what can you do.

That worries me with Carly…if she broke one of those laws while she was in town it would be me that would have to go after her. But I could not kill her could I? I mean…I loved her too much, right? Well I did love her too much but I knew I could kill her. I have been seen and killed vampires that were driven mad by their lust for blood and did horrible things. If that ever happened to Carly and I was the one with the signed order to execute her I knew I would. I had not doubt about that…but I would also want a guarantee that if I killed her then I also would die. I could not live without her. I think that is why Carly does not spend more time with me…in the states. She prefers to live in a country where vampires are still outlawed and hunted and not subject to any laws. I also feel she is hiding something from me but I don't press her. Time with her is too precious to spend arguing.

I was about to climb into those dark tunnels of the sewers and wondered if I should wait for back up. I called the police and let them know I found out and the three rogue wererats were in the sewers and where I was going to be. They told me they got an order of execution signed by a judge. No arresting, no attorney, and not trail. Just execution and that was me. If a human had did those horrible things to those people he would have been arrested gone to trail and if found guilty he would have sat on death row for ten maybe fifteen years until they executed him. Not so for murders done by vampires, wereaninals, or any magic. It was a quick order signed by a judge to legally kill them and that was it. No fuss no muss; just a big bloody mess. I never had to wait more than an hour for an execution order. People still were afraid of the monsters even if they were citizens. Of course I don't blame them…I have seen what a crazed wereanimal or vampire can do to people. They had a right to be afraid.

I hated the sewers…they stank. I knew why the rats were down here. Maurice said they had gone feral…they spent too much time in animal form and they could not completely shift back. I've seen it and it can drive a lycanthrope mad. Now just because they are wererats does not mean they all live in the sewers. The majority of the wereanimals try and live perfectly normal lives. Maurice, the rat king, is a respected business man who lives in a multi million dollar home. He, like most, try to hide what they are. Yeah they are legal now but not many humans would want a werewolf teaching their kids in school or a wererat performing open heart surgery on a loved one. It is easy to make things legal but hard to get over the prejudices. Me…hell I don't care. I like a lot of the lycanthropes I have met. The new Ulric of the werewolves is a nice guy…he even teaches handicapped children. But of course a lot of people are also afraid of what I can do…and not just the killing. Hell if I ever killed an innocent using magic…and I can…it would be the same. Quick court order and bye bye Sam. I was stalling and wanted to wait for back up. I was scared. Oh I would do the job and not hesitate but I was still scared.

I decided not to wait for back up. It was not that I did not trust the police on the PISU Team. Hell I liked those eight guys a lot and they treated me somewhere between a kid sister and an object for their sexual needs. Depended on which one I was talking to. But they were good guys and I could trust them to do their jobs when hell broke lose. It was not their nerve I did not trust but their training. The squad was only a little over a year old and they knew nil about dealing with the monsters. I did. Hell I had to buy everyone of them silver crosses when I was first asked to consult. One of the guys asked me if the crosses really worked. I told him they did and he asked me how could I know for sure. Well I did know for sure. I had faith in God. If you saw the things I did and what a simple blessed cross can do to a vampire you would no longer doubt. So I made sure they wore them. I found out the hard way the team did not even get issued silver bullets. Three months ago a vamp killed two teenage girls and drained them and we went in to do the execution. Of course it was day time…never fuck with them at night if you can help it. But the vampire was not resting and came out of his coffin and one of the officers, Tyler…Officer Weldon Tyler…I remember the name of the good guys when they die or get hurt. The bad guys…well fuck them! Anyway…Tyler unloaded his pistol on the vamp and found out his regular bullets would not even slow the thing down. I shot the vampire twice in the chest to stop him and once in his head. But not after he ripped Tyler's chest and stomach out with his hands. I was the one who held the man and tried to stop his insides from spilling all over the floor while I cried and begged for someone to call an ambulance. The ambulance came but it was too late. I rode with the officers who told his wife and five year old son what had happened…yippee skippee huh? I did not have to but I needed to…don't ask me why but I did…it was just one of those things I had to do. Maybe it was my fault…maybe I should have told the cops they needed the silver bullets…hell I did not know they did not have any…but damn it…I should have asked. I guess I went along for the ride to the wife and kid because of guilt. I needed to punish myself for his death. My punishment was seeing Mrs. Tyler and her son take the news of the loss. It was not a pretty sight. I finished the vamp by cutting out his heart, cutting off his head, and burned the body and I checked Tyler's gun and he nor the other two back ups had silver bullets. I was told they could not get it in their budget. I made a promise to myself I would buy all of them several boxes of silver bullets each. I did not want to see anyone of them die again because they did not have the right fucking equipment to do their jobs. They were on special order and have not arrived yet.

Fuck it Sam! Stop thinking about it and stop stalling! Let's kill these bastards and go home. Carly is waiting for you to get home, clean up, change clothes, and go out on a date_. _Me I would much prefer to just go home and shower and slip into bed with her but Carly likes to go out on dates. Go figure. A two thousand year old vampire likes to go out for dinner and a movie. Weird huh? I do get amused and enjoy watching her when we date. She seems well…almost human then and she lets her vampire façade slip away. She likes the movies…romantic comedies of all things. I like them to now as well. I use to hate them and love horror movies but now I can't watch a horror movie because of the things I have seen or done. My life was one big horror movie at times.

I slipped deeper into the sewers and got my mind off Carly. I loved her too much and just thinking about her would distract me from killing. And when dealing with a wereanimal who was larger faster and stronger you need all the focus you can get. Maybe her love will kill me one way or another…but I can't give it up. If I lost Carly a part of me would die. I know it would!


End file.
